Reading Theme:
Population: Definition, Usage & Common Mistakes (2 meaning)
Meaning 1：people count (population)
population
/ˌpɒp.jəˈleɪ.ʃən/
n.
the total number of people living in a specific place, such as a country or city.
people count
➕
/ˈpiː.pəl kaʊnt/
n.
The total number of individuals residing within a defined geographical area, such as a country, city, or region.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Root Explanation
From Latin 'populatio', meaning 'people' or 'multitude'.
💡 Mnemonic
Think of a POPular LATIN word for a large group of PEOPLE. POP-u-LAT-ion.
📖 Example
The population of our city has grown by 20% in the last ten years.
The number of people living in our city has increased by 20% over the past decade.
🔗 Collocations
population growth – the increase in the number of people in an area
population density – the number of people living per unit of area
aging population – a population with a rising average age
🔄 Synonyms
inhabitants (n.) – people who live in a particular place
residents (n.) – people who live in a place permanently
citizenry (n.) – the body of citizens of a state or country
🚫 Antonyms
wilderness (n.) – an uncultivated, uninhabited region
🌱 Derivatives
📖 Cultural Story
Derived from the Latin 'populus' (the people). Its frequent use in modern contexts, like census data and public policy debates, highlights its importance in governance, resource planning, and sociological studies.
Meaning 2：defined group (population)
population
/ˌpɒp.jəˈleɪ.ʃən/
n.
a group of individuals (people, animals, etc.) that share a common characteristic and are studied as a whole.
defined group
➕
/dɪˈfaɪnd ɡruːp/
n.
A collection of individuals of the same species or sharing a defined characteristic, often studied as a statistical unit in science.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Example
The panda population in that nature reserve is slowly increasing thanks to conservation efforts.
The number of pandas living in that protected area is gradually rising due to wildlife protection programs.
🔗 Collocations
population study – research focused on a specific group
target population – the specific group a study aims to understand
student population – the collective body of students
🔄 Synonyms
community (n.) – a group of living things in the same place
colony (n.) – a group of the same kind of animal or plant living together
demographic (n.) – a particular sector of a population
🚫 Antonyms
individual (n.) – a single person or organism considered separately
🌱 Derivatives
depopulate (v.) – to reduce the population of an area
overpopulated (adj.) – having too many inhabitants for the available resources
Wordbook
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