populous

adjective

pop·​u·​lous ˈpä-pyə-ləs 

1

a

: densely populated

b

: having a large population

2

a

: numerous

b

: filled to capacity

populously adverb

populousness noun

Did you know?

With a metropolitan area of more than 20 million people, Mexico City could be called the world's second or third most populous city. And the nearby Aztec city of Tenochtitlán was one of the largest cities in the world even when Hernán Cortés arrived there in 1519. But by the time Cortés conquered the city in 1521 it wasn't nearly so populous, since European diseases had greatly reduced the population. Avoid confusing populous and populace, which are pronounced exactly the same.

Examples of populous in a Sentence

the most populous state in the U.S.

Recent Examples on the Web

There certainly were questions about what the state of Louisiana had — or hadn’t — done to protect its most populous city from such a disaster, as well as the response afterward. —The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 24 Jan. 2025

After London, Birmingham is the most populous city in the UK. —Hannah Ryan, CNN, 23 Jan. 2025

Texas Texas, being one of the most populous states in America, sends out many rounds of SNAP payments this week. —Raul A. Reyes, Newsweek, 23 Jan. 2025

Wildfires, earthquakes, mudslides, flooding, drought and rioting have left their marks on the nation's most populous county of nearly 10 million people. —CBS News, 18 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English populous, populus, borrowed from Latin populōsus, from populus people entry 1 + -ōsus -ous

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

populous

adjective

pop·​u·​lous ˈpäp-yə-ləs 

: having a large population