Adjective

(en adjective)

Common among the general public; generally accepted.

* 2007 , Joe Queenan, The Guardian , 23 Aug 2007:

Contrary to popular misconception, MacArthur Park is not the worst song ever written.

(legal) Concerning the people; public.

Pertaining to or deriving from the people or general public.

* 1594 , (Richard Hooker), Preface :

At the coming of Calvin thither, the form of their civil regiment was popular , as it continueth at this day: neither king, nor duke, nor nobleman of any authority or power over them, but officers chosen by the people out of themselves, to order all things with public consent.

* 2009 , (Diarmaid MacCulloch), A History of Christianity , Penguin 2010, p. 645:

Luther in popular memory had become a saint, his picture capable of saving houses from burning down, if it was fixed to the parlour wall.

* 2009 , Graham Smith, The Guardian , letter, 27 May 2009:

Jonathan Freedland brilliantly articulates the size and nature of the challenge and we must take his lead in setting out a radical agenda for a new republic based on the principle of popular sovereignty.

(obsolete) Of low birth, not noble; vulgar, plebian.

*, II.17:

*:Popular and shallow-headed mindes, cannot perceive the grace or comelinesse, nor judge of a smooth and quaint discourse.

Aimed at ordinary people, as opposed to specialists etc.; intended for general consumption.

* 2009 , ‘Meltdown’, The Economist , 8 Apr 2009:

As a work of popular science it is exemplary: the focus may be the numbers, but most of the mathematical legwork is confined to the appendices and the accompanying commentary is amusing and witty, as well as informed.

(obsolete) Cultivating the favour of the common people.

* Such popular humanity is treason. -

Liked by many people; generally pleasing, widely admired.

*{{quote-book, year=2006, author=(Edwin Black)

, chapter=2, title= Internal Combustion , passage=The popular late Middle Ages fictional character Robin Hood, dressed in green to symbolize the forest, dodged fines for forest offenses and stole from the rich to give to the poor. But his appeal was painfully real and embodied the struggle over wood.}}

* 2011 , The Observer , 2 Oct.:

They might have split 24 years ago, but the Smiths remain as popular as ever, and not just among those who remember them first time around.

*{{quote-magazine, date=2013-03

, author=David S. Senchina, volume=101, issue=2, page=134, magazine=(American Scientist) , title= Athletics and Herbal Supplements , passage=Athletes' use of herbal supplements has skyrocketed in the past two decades. At the top of the list of popular herbs are echinacea and ginseng, whereas garlic, St. John's wort, soybean, ephedra and others are also surging in popularity or have been historically prevalent.}}

Adapted to the means of the common people; cheap.

Adjective

(en adjective)

Ordinary; having no remarkable characteristics.

* 1824 , Sir (Walter Scott), , ch. 7:

"This Mr. Tyrrel," she said, in a tone of authoritative decision, "seems after all a very ordinary sort of person, quite a commonplace man."

*

, title=(The Celebrity), chapter=1 , passage=In the old days, to my commonplace and unobserving mind, he gave no evidences of genius whatsoever. He never read me any of his manuscripts, […], and therefore my lack of detection of his promise may in some degree be pardoned.}}

* 1911 , (w), (Under Western Eyes) , ch. 1:

I could get hold of nothing but of some commonplace phrases, those futile phrases that give the measure of our impotence before each other's trials.