populous

1 of 2

adjective

pop·​u·​lous ˈpä-pyə-ləs 

1

a

: densely populated

b

: having a large population

2

a

: numerous

b

: filled to capacity

populously adverb

populousness noun

populousness

2 of 2

noun

pop·​u·​lous·​ness

plural -es

: the quality or state of being populous

Did you know?

With a metropolitan area of more than 20 million people, Mexico City could be called the world's second or third most populous city. And the nearby Aztec city of Tenochtitlán was one of the largest cities in the world even when Hernán Cortés arrived there in 1519. But by the time Cortés conquered the city in 1521 it wasn't nearly so populous, since European diseases had greatly reduced the population. Avoid confusing populous and populace, which are pronounced exactly the same.

Examples of populous in a Sentence

Adjective

the most populous state in the U.S.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The Navajo count 300,000-plus members among the tribe, second most populous in the United States behind only the Cherokee. —Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 13 June 2026

In the annual rankings by the National Trust for Public Lands, Los Angeles has dropped from 90th to a tie for 93rd in park investment and accessibility among the nation’s 100 most populous cities. —Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2026

The blocking technology being pushed in two of the nation's most populous states has the potential to set industry standards for 3D printers. —ABC News, 13 June 2026

California is the nation's most populous state, accounting for roughly 12% of the nation's population, with 1 in 8 Americans living there. —Terry Collins, USA Today, 10 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English populous, populus, borrowed from Latin populōsus, from populus people entry 1 + -ōsus -ous

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for populous

• populace
• populus

Kids Definition

populous

adjective

pop·​u·​lous ˈpäp-yə-ləs 

: having a large population