populáris

Populáris is a Hungarian adjective meaning "popular" or relating to popularity. It is used to describe things that appeal to broad audiences or belong to popular culture, and it can appear in both everyday language and more formal discourse.

The word originates from Latin populāris, meaning “of the people,” itself derived from populus, the people. The form was borrowed into Hungarian (likely through Latin and/or Germanic routes) and has become established in modern usage. In contemporary Hungarian, it commonly appears in compound nouns and phrases related to culture, media, and science communication.

In everyday and academic use, populáris often appears in phrases such as populáris kultúra (pop culture) and populáris tudomány (popular science). In politics, sociology, and media studies it can describe ideas, policies, or presentations that are framed to appeal to the general public. It is distinct from népszerű, which more strictly denotes general liking; populáris emphasizes alignment with public discourse, accessibility, or mass appeal rather than mere popularity.

Beyond Hungarian, similar forms exist in other languages that have borrowed from Latin, with the sense of relating to “the people” or to the public. In Latin texts, populāris functions as a standard adjective meaning “of the people,” and in modern contexts the term often retains a technical or semi-formal tone.

See also: népszerű; közönség; populus.