populous
Americanadjective
-
full of residents or inhabitants, as a region; heavily populated.
-
jammed or crowded with people.
There's no more populous place than Times Square on New Year's Eve.
-
forming or comprising a large number or quantity.
Because of epidemics the tribes are not nearly so populous as they once were.
adjective
Other Word Forms
- nonpopulous adjective
- nonpopulously adverb
- nonpopulousness noun
- overpopulous adjective
- overpopulously adverb
- overpopulousness noun
- populously adverb
- populousness noun
- unpopulous adjective
- unpopulously adverb
- unpopulousness noun
Etymology
Origin of populous
1400–50; late Middle English populus < Latin populōsus. See people, -ous
Explanation
A populous place is full of people. If you left your cabin in the Maine woods to spend the weekend in New York City, you'd be particularly aware of how populous the city is. Anything that's dense with people can be described as populous, like the country of China or the city of Mumbai or even a crowded airport. Populous is a Latin word that means simply "people." It was adopted by English in the 15th century to mean "full of people." The adjective populous is easy to confuse with the noun populace, "the people who live in a country," especially since they are homonyms, or words that sound exactly the same.
Vocabulary lists containing populous
Much Ado: Synonyms for "Many"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
We the People: Popul
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"Othello" by William Shakespeare, Act IV-V
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The allegations surface at a crucial moment in the wide-open primary race to replace outgoing Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, and to lead the nation's most populous state, just weeks before voters receive postal ballots.
From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026
Egypt, the region’s most populous country, is grappling with inflation above 28% and a currency that has lost nearly 90% of its value over the past decade.
From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026
A smaller 2026 crop, with rising demand for livestock feed in some of the most populous countries, including China and India, will put pressure on global corn prices, affecting everyone regardless of their nationality.
From Salon • Apr. 8, 2026
The authorities warned that a dam in Oahu, the state's most populous island, was at risk of collapse.
From BBC • Mar. 21, 2026
Everything they saw suggested "that at no very remote period this country had been far more populous than at present."
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
