popularity English · revision 6251

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing, derivation|attested=1546|origins=la populus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˌpɒp.jəˈlæɹ.ɪ.ti/ ''(UK)''; /ˌpɑ.pjəˈlæɹ.ə.ti/, /ˌpɑ.pjəˈlɛɹ.ə.ti/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|frm|popularité]], or formed from [[popular]] and [[-ity]],^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002)^(MWU 2024) from [[la|populāritas]], from [[m|la|populāris|t=of the people]], from [[m|la|populus|t=people]].^(SOED 2002) Classical Latin popularitas meant fellow citizenship.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Popular or democratic government: 1548 in the OED, 1546 in MWU, a sense now obsolete.^(OED 1989)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Courting popular favour (1597–98), vulgarity of speech (1599), the populace (1632) and populousness (1654) were further senses now lost.^(OED 1989) The fact of being liked or admired by the people, the modern sense, is from 1601,^(OED 1989) about 1600 in Etymonline.^(Etymonline) The ''popularity contest'' is from 1880.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1546 – democratic government (obsolete).^(MWU 2024)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1597 – courting popular favour (obsolete).^(OED 1989)

+ * 1601 – being liked by many.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1880 – popularity contest.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The state of being liked, admired or supported by many people.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[nonpopularity]]

+ * [[overpopularity]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[popular]]

+ * [[people]]

+ * [[populace]]

+ * [[populist]]

+ * [[unpopularity]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}