Popularizes

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To introduce ideas or trends in a manner that earns widespread acceptance among the general public
2. Causes an idea, product, or practice to gain broad public recognition and approval
3. Helps spread knowledge or favor about something to a large audience

Etymology: "Popularize" is built from "popular" plus the suffix "-ize". "Popular" came into English from Old French "populaire", which descends from Latin "popularis", meaning belonging to the people, and that in turn comes from "populus", "people". The Latin word is ambiguous in the source's etymology, and it is the sense "people" that gives "popular" its meaning of something belonging to, or pleasing to, ordinary folk. The suffix is the more interesting part. "-ize" traces back through Late Latin "-izare" to Ancient Greek "-izein", a verb-forming ending used to turn nouns and adjectives into verbs meaning "to make" or "to treat in a certain way". English adopted it in the Middle English period, and it became one of the most productive verb endings in the language. So "popularize" literally means "to make popular", that is, to make something known and liked among the general public. The verb took shape in English in the same way as many other words built this way, by joining an existing English adjective to a Greek-derived ending.

Synonyms: promotes, advocates, popularizes, propagates, spreads

Antonyms: disparages, dissuades, discredits, marginalizes, alienates