popularity

English Online Dictionary. What means popularity‎? What does popularity mean?

English

Etymology

From popular +‎ -ity, from Latin popularitas (“an effort to please the people”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˌpɒp.jəˈlæɹ.ɪ.ti/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˌpɑ.pjəˈlæɹ.ə.ti/, [ˌpɑ.pjəˈlæɹ.ə.ɾi], /ˌpɑ.pjəˈlɛɹ.ə.ti/, [ˌpɑ.pjəˈlɛɹ.ə.ɾi]
• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /ˌpɔp.jəˈlæɹ.ə.ti/, [ˌpɔp.jəˈlæɹ.ə.ɾi]

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

2. (archaic) The quality or state of being adapted or pleasing to common, poor, or vulgar people
   1. (by extension) cheapness; inferiority; vulgarity.
3. (archaic) Something which obtains, or is intended to obtain, the favor of the vulgar; claptrap.
4. (obsolete) The act of courting the favour of the people.
5. (archaic) Public sentiment; general passion.

Derived terms

• popularity contest

Translations

Further reading

• “popularity”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin E[li] Smith, editors (1911), “popularity”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC.