2  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Popular  \Pop"u*lar\,  a.  [L.  popularis,  fr  populus  people:  cf 
  F.  populaire  See  {People}.] 
  1.  Of  or  pertaining  to  the  common  people,  or  to  the  whole 
  body  of  the  people,  as  distinguished  from  a  select 
  portion;  as  the  popular  voice;  popular  elections. 
  ``Popular  states.''  --Bacon.  ``So  the  popular  vote 
  inclines.''  --Milton. 
 
  The  men  commonly  held  in  popular  estimation  are 
  greatest  at  a  distance.  --J.  H. 
  Newman. 
 
  2.  Suitable  to  common  people;  easy  to  be  comprehended;  not 
  abstruse;  familiar;  plain. 
 
  Homilies  are  plain  popular  instructions.  --Hooker. 
 
  3.  Adapted  to  the  means  of  the  common  people;  possessed  or 
  obtainable  by  the  many  hence  cheap;  common;  ordinary; 
  inferior;  as  popular  prices;  popular  amusements. 
 
  The  smallest  figs,  called  popular  figs,  .  .  .  are 
  of  all  others  the  basest  and  of  least  account. 
  --Holland. 
 
  4.  Beloved  or  approved  by  the  people;  pleasing  to  people  in 
  general,  or  to  many  people;  as  a  popular  preacher;  a 
  popular  law;  a  popular  administration. 
 
  5.  Devoted  to  the  common  people;  studious  of  the  favor  of  the 
  populace.  [R.] 
 
  Such  popular  humanity  is  treason.  --Addison. 
 
  6.  Prevailing  among  the  people;  epidemic;  as  a  popular 
  disease.  [Obs.]  --Johnson. 
 
  {Popular  action}  (Law),  an  action  in  which  any  person  may  sue 
  for  penalty  imposed  by  statute.  --Blackstone. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  popular 
  adj  1:  regarded  with  great  favor,  approval,  or  affection  especially 
  by  the  general  public;  "a  popular  tourist  attraction"; 
  "a  popular  girl";  "cabbage  patch  dolls  are  no  longer 
  popular"  [ant:  {unpopular}] 
  2:  carried  on  by  or  for  the  people  (or  citizens)  at  large  "the 
  popular  vote";  "popular  representation";  "institutions  of 
  popular  government" 
  3:  representing  or  appealing  to  or  adapted  for  the  benefit  of 
  the  people  at  large  "democratic  art  forms";  "a  democratic 
  or  popular  movement";  "popular  thought";  "popular 
  science";  "popular  fiction"  [syn:  {democratic}] 
  4:  comprehensible  to  the  general  public;  "written  for  the 
  popular  press  in  plain  nontechnical  language"  [syn:  {plain}] 
  5:  (of  music  or  art)  new  and  of  general  appeal  (especially 
  among  young  people)  [syn:  {pop}] 

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