ENGLISH
REFERENCE

population

n. C / U
A2 Elementary Oxford US //ˌpɑpjəˈɫeɪʃən// UK //pˌɒpjʊlˈeɪʃən// pop·u·la·tion General-service

n. all the people who live in a specific country, city, or area. It can also mean the total number of animals of one kind living in a place.

n. the total number of inhabitants in a specific geographic area or the entire group of individuals of a particular species. In research contexts, it refers to the complete set of items or people from which a sample is drawn.


SIMPLE

The population of the city is growing quickly.

CONTEXTUAL

Government officials are worried about the aging population and how it will affect the healthcare system.

COMPLEX

While the urban population continues to expand, rural communities are facing a steady decline as younger generations move away in search of better employment opportunities.

Synonyms
Origin

Borrowed from Late Latin populatio (“a people, multitude”), as if a noun of action from Classical Latin populus, equivalent to populate + -ion. Doublet of poblacion.

Usage

Usually uncountable when referring to the general concept of people in an area, but countable when comparing different groups or specific sets of inhabitants.

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