populace

pop·u·lace

noun \ˈpä-pyə-ləs\

Definition of POPULACE

1

: the common people : masses

2

: population

Examples of POPULACE

1. The populace has suffered greatly.
2. <high officials awkwardly mingling with the general populace>

Origin of POPULACE

Middle French, from Italian popolaccio rabble, augmentative of popolo the people, from Latin populus

First Known Use: 1572

Related to POPULACE

Synonyms: commoners, commons, crowd, herd, hoi polloi, millions, mob, multitude, people, plebeians, plebs, mass, public, rank and file

Antonyms: A-list, aristocracy, best, choice, corps d'elite, cream, elect, elite, fat, flower, pick, pink, pride, upper crust

Related Words: cattle, proletariat, rabble, rabblement, ragtag and bobtail, riffraff, rout, scum, tag, rag, and bobtail (or tagrag and bobtail), trash, unwashed; bourgeoisie, middle class

Near Antonyms: gentility, gentlefolk (also gentlefolks), gentry, haute monde, nobility, patriciate, peerage, quality, royalty, society

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Other Sociology Terms

bourgeois, ethos, eugenics, exurb, incommunicado, intelligentsia, megalopolis, metrosexual, mores, subculture