popularno

Popularno is a term used in several South Slavic languages, notably Croatian, Bosnian, Serbian, and Slovenian. It functions as an adjective in its neuter singular form and, in some contexts, as an adverb meaning “in a popular manner” or simply “widely liked.” The root is the adjective popularan, with popularno representing the neuter form, and the word is commonly used in everyday speech to describe things that appeal to a broad audience.

Etymology traces popularno to Latin popularis, via medieval and early modern Slavic word formation. The sense of belonging to or favored by the people underpins its meaning across languages, where it is used to signal broad appeal or common acceptance. The term is a standard part of vocabulary in media, marketing, culture, and public discourse.

Usage in discourse typically describes phenomena with broad appeal, such as media, trends, products, or cultural works. Common collocations include phrases like popularno izdanje (a popular edition) or popularna pjesma (a popular song). In journalism and advertising, the word helps convey that something is well-liked or widely accepted, without asserting universal significance. Grammatical forms vary by language, with the neuter form popularno often agreeing with neuter nouns, while adjectives and adverbs may shift in gender and degree across contexts.

See also: popularity, popular (in English), cognate terms in related languages.