Word
population
Phoneticspop·u·la·tion, stress on the third syllable
US/ˌpɑpjəˈɫeɪʃən/
UK/pˌɒpjʊlˈeɪʃən/
Definitions
01people in a place
A2 · Elementary Countable noun
n. all the people who live in a particular town, area, or country.
n. the total number of inhabitants living within a defined political or geographical boundary.
“The population of the city has grown quickly over the last ten years.”
“Government officials are concerned that the aging population will place an unprecedented strain on the national healthcare system over the coming decades.”
Usage
Often used with the definite article 'the' when referring to a specific location.
Synonyms
02a specific group
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun Biology
n. a particular group of people or animals that share a certain characteristic.
n. a subset of people or organisms distinguished by a specific shared trait or condition.
“Scientists are studying the local population of sea turtles to help protect them.”
“The research focused exclusively on the student population, ignoring the broader demographic shifts occurring in the surrounding urban area.”
Usage
Commonly followed by 'of' to specify the group, such as 'a population of birds'.
03statistics
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Mathematics Technical · Academic
n. the whole group of people or things that a researcher wants to study.
n. the entire pool from which a statistical sample is drawn and to which the results are meant to apply.
“The researchers picked a small group to represent the whole population.”
“To ensure the validity of the study, the sample must be truly representative of the entire population being analyzed.”
Usage
In this context, 'population' refers to the total set of data, not just people.
Antonyms
04filling data
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Computing Technical
n. the act of filling a list, table, or database with information.
n. the process of supplying or filling a collection, database, or interface with data.
“The population of the database took several hours because there was so much information.”
“Automated scripts handled the population of the new system fields, significantly reducing the risk of manual entry errors.”
Usage
Often used as a verbal noun describing a technical process.
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “population” in context.
Etymology
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.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
Related words
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- A2 · ElementaryOxford
- Updated
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