Hypertext Webster Gateway: "popular"

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

Popular \Pop"u*lar\, a. [L. popularis, fr. populus people: cf.
F. populaire. See {People}.]
1. Of or pertaining to the common people, or to the whole
body of the people, as distinguished from a select
portion; as, the popular voice; popular elections.
``Popular states.'' --Bacon. ``So the popular vote
inclines.'' --Milton.

The men commonly held in popular estimation are
greatest at a distance. --J. H.
Newman.

2. Suitable to common people; easy to be comprehended; not
abstruse; familiar; plain.

Homilies are plain popular instructions. --Hooker.

3. Adapted to the means of the common people; possessed or
obtainable by the many; hence, cheap; common; ordinary;
inferior; as, popular prices; popular amusements.

The smallest figs, called popular figs, . . . are,
of all others, the basest and of least account.
--Holland.

4. Beloved or approved by the people; pleasing to people in
general, or to many people; as, a popular preacher; a
popular law; a popular administration.

5. Devoted to the common people; studious of the favor of the
populace. [R.]

Such popular humanity is treason. --Addison.

6. Prevailing among the people; epidemic; as, a popular
disease. [Obs.] --Johnson.

{Popular action} (Law), an action in which any person may sue
for penalty imposed by statute. --Blackstone.

From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)

popular
adj 1: regarded with great favor, approval, or affection especially
by the general public; "a popular tourist attraction";
"a popular girl"; "cabbage patch dolls are no longer
popular" [ant: {unpopular}]
2: carried on by or for the people (or citizens) at large; "the
popular vote"; "popular representation"; "institutions of
popular government"
3: representing or appealing to or adapted for the benefit of
the people at large; "democratic art forms"; "a democratic
or popular movement"; "popular thought"; "popular
science"; "popular fiction" [syn: {democratic}]
4: comprehensible to the general public; "written for the
popular press in plain nontechnical language" [syn: {plain}]
5: (of music or art) new and of general appeal (especially
among young people) [syn: {pop}]


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