popularity

English

Part or all of this entry has been imported from the 1913 edition of Webster’s Dictionary, which is now free of copyright and hence in the public domain. The imported definitions may be significantly out of date, and any more recent senses may be completely missing.

Etymology

Latin popularitas an effort to please the people

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA: /ˌpɒp.jəˈlæɹ.ɪ.ti/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Noun

popularity (usually uncountable; plural popularities)

1. The quality or state of being popular; especially, the state of being esteemed by, or of being in favor with, the people at large; good will or favor proceeding from the people; as, the popularity of a law, statesman, or a book.
2. (archaic) The quality or state of being adapted or pleasing to common, poor, or vulgar people; hence, cheapness; inferiority; vulgarity.

   This gallant laboring to avoid popularity falls into a habit of affectation. — Ben Jonson.

3. (archaic) Something which obtains, or is intended to obtain, the favor of the vulgar; claptrap.

   Popularities, and circumstances which […] sway the ordinary judgment. — Bacon.

4. (obsolete) The act of courting the favour of the people.

   Indicted […] for popularity and ambition. — Holland.

5. (archaic) Public sentiment; general passion.

   A little time be allowed for the madness of popularity to cease. — Bancroft.

Derived terms

• popularity contest

Translations

The quality or state of being popular

Czech: oblíbenost (cs) f. Finnish: suosio (fi) German: Popularität (de) f. Icelandic: vinsældir (is) f. pl. Italian: popolarità (it) f. Japanese: 人気 (ja) (ninki)

Korean: 인기 (ko) (ingi) Latin: popularitas (la) Romanian: popularitate (ro) f. Russian: популярность (ru) (popul'árnost') f. Serbo-Croatian: popularnost (sh), omiljenost (sh)

External links

• popularity in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• popularity in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911