Popularises

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To increase the awareness or familiarity of something among the masses
2. Helps a concept or idea become familiar to a large audience
3. Spreads knowledge about something to a broad public

Etymology: "Popularise" is a verb formed in English from the adjective "popular" plus the suffix "-ise," which turns an adjective into a verb meaning "to make or become" something. "Popular" itself came through Old French "populaire" from Latin "popularis," meaning "of the people" or "belonging to the common people," built on "populus," "people." That Latin root also gave English the word for a poplar tree in some etymologies, but the link to "people" is the one that matters for this word. The suffix has a longer past than the English word. It descends from Greek verbs ending in "-izein," passed through Late Latin "-izare" and Middle French "-iser," and reached English as "-isen" in Middle English before settling as "-ise." Because of that route, the same ending appears in countless verbs of making, from "civilise" to "modernise." So "popularise" literally means to make something belong to the people. Its sense of spreading awareness or familiarity across the masses follows directly from that original idea of making something common property.

Synonyms: promotes, advocates, popularizes

Antonyms: discourages, dissuades, alienates