population
UK: ˌpɒp.jʊˈleɪ.ʃən | US: ˌpɑː.pjʊˈleɪ.ʃən
n. 1. The total number of people or organisms inhabiting a specific area.
n. 2. A group of individuals of the same species living in a particular geographic region.
n. 3. (Statistics) The entire set of items or individuals under study.
population = popul<people> + ation<noun suffix>
- popul (from Latin populus, meaning "people")
- ation (a noun-forming suffix indicating an action, process, or result, from Latin -atio)
Etymology Origin:
The word "population" traces back to the Latin populus (people), reflecting its core meaning of a collective group. The suffix -ation was added in Middle English via Old French, transforming the verb "populate" into a noun denoting the result or state of inhabiting. This evolution mirrors societal shifts toward quantifying human and biological groups, especially during the rise of demography and statistics in the 17th–18th centuries.
The population of Tokyo exceeds 14 million people.
Scientists studied the wolf population in Yellowstone National Park.
The survey sampled a diverse population of college students.
Rapid urbanization has strained the local population's resources.
The statistical model accounted for variations in the target population.