popularity

noun

pop·​u·​lar·​i·​ty ˌpä-pyə-ˈler-ə-tē How to pronounce popularity (audio)
ˌpä-pyə-ˈla-rə-tē
: the quality or state of being popular

Examples of popularity in a Sentence

the increasing popularity of cell phones
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
These 10 names rose the most in popularity in 2024. Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 14 May 2025 However, in my experience, despite the obvious swell in popularity and there being roughly 3,000-plus tequila brands on the market today, a lot of guests still just tend to order what is advertised the most. Isidoro Rodriguez, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025 What was supposed to be a period of popularity for caviar in the U.S. is now a moment of restraint as American tariffs on Chinese goods raise prices for the fish eggs preferred by chefs and their purveyors. Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 12 May 2025 According to the Social Security Administration (SSA), the name Ocean arrived on the popularity charts in 2020 at a rank of 795. Annabelle Canela, Parents, 12 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for popularity

Word History

Etymology

popular + -ity

Note: Probably an English coinage rather than a loan from Latin populāritās "fellow-citizenship, courtship of popular favor" (Late Latin, "population, general opinion").

First Known Use

1574, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of popularity was in 1574

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Popularity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/popularity. Accessed 17 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on popularity

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