ad captandum

adjective

ad cap·​tan·​dum

variants or ad captandum vulgus

¦ad-ˌkap-ˈtan-dəm(-ˈvəl-gəs)

: designed to attract or please the crowd

—used often of an argument directed chiefly to the emotions

Word History

Etymology

ad captandum, from Latin, for pleasing; ad captandum vulgus, from Latin, for pleasing the crowd

First Known Use

1836, in the meaning defined above

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