borrowed from Latin populāris "of the whole people, used by ordinary people, of the common people, professing to support the interests of the people, liked by the general public," from populus "a human community, people, nation, the people (transcending the individuals composing it), the general public" + -āris -ar

adjective

of or relating to the general public
suitable to the majority: such as
adapted to or indicative of the understanding and taste of the majority

common ordinary plain familiar popular vulgar mean generally met with and not in any way special, strange, or unusual. common implies usual everyday quality or frequency of occurrence and may additionally suggest inferiority or coarseness.

noun

a coalition especially of leftist political parties against a common opponent; specifically : one sponsored and dominated by Communists as a device for gaining power

noun

a doctrine in political theory that government is created by and subject to the will of the people
a pre-Civil War doctrine asserting the right of the people living in a newly organized territory to decide by vote of their territorial legislature whether or not slavery would be permitted there