Emily Dickinson Lexicon

POP'U-LAR, a. [Fr. populaire; It. popolare; Sp. popular; L. popularis. See People.]

1. Pertaining to the common people; as, the popular voice; popular elections. So the popular vote inclines. – Milton.
2. Suitable to common people; familiar; plain; easy to be comprehended; not critical or abstruse. Homilies are plain and popular instructions. – Hooker.
3. Beloved by the people; enjoying the favor of the people; pleasing to people in general; as, a popular governor; a popular preacher; a popular ministry; a popular discourse; a popular administration; a popular war or peace. Suspect the man who endeavors to make that popular which is wrong.
4. Ambitious; studious of the favor of the people. A popular man is in truth no better than a prostitute to common fame and to the people. – Dryden. [This sense is not usual. It is more customary to apply this epithet to a person who has already gained the favor of the people.]
5. Prevailing among the people; extensively prevalent; as, a popular disease.
6. In law, a popular action is one which gives a penalty to the person that sues for the same. – Blackstone. Note. Popular, at least in the United States, is not synonymous with vulgar; the latter being applied to the lower classes of people, the illiterate and low bred; the former is applied to all classes, or to the body of the people, including a great portion at least of well educated citizens.