Meanings
- uncountableAn interpretation of science intended for a general audience, rather than for other scientists or students.
1 more example
The priests who were, as I have said, the early students and inquirers, had worked out this astronomical side, and in that way were able to fix dates and to frame for the benefit of the populace myths and legends, which were in a certain sense explanations of the order of Nature, and a kind of "popular science."
1920, Edward Carpenter, Pagan and Christian Creeds: Their Origin and Meaning, page 36 - attributiveuncountableOf, or having to do with science, but aimed at ordinary people as opposed to scientists; intended for general consumption.
It was published in a popular science magazine.
1 more example
During the 19th century the need to make science more accessible to the public resulted in the emergence of a new type of written genre, the popular science article.
2016, Begoña Bellés-Fortuño, “Popular Science Articles vs. Scientific Articles: a Tool for Medical Education”, in Pilar Ordóñez-López, Nuria Edo-Marzá, editors, Medical Discourse in Professional, Academic and Popular Settings, Bristol: Multilingual Matters, →ISBN, pages 55–78
Synonyms & antonyms
Translations
Chinese Mandarin 科學普及 /科学普及, 科學普及的 /科学普及的
- 科學普及 /科学普及 (kēxué pǔjí)interpretation of science
- 科學普及的 /科学普及的 (kēxué pǔjí de)of, or having to do with popular science
Danish populærvidenskab, populærvidenskabelig
- populærvidenskabinterpretation of science
- populærvidenskabeligof, or having to do with popular science
Dutch populaire wetenschap, populairwetenschappelijk
- populaire wetenschapinterpretation of science
- populairwetenschappelijkof, or having to do with popular science
Finnish populaaritiede, populaaritieteellinen
- populaaritiedeinterpretation of science
- populaaritieteellinenof, or having to do with popular science
- yleistajuinenof, or having to do with popular science
- tiedettä yleistajuistavaof, or having to do with popular science
French de vulgarisation scientifique
- de vulgarisation scientifiqueof, or having to do with popular science
German Populärwissenschaft, populärwissenschaftlich
- Populärwissenschaftinterpretation of science
- populärwissenschaftlichof, or having to do with popular science
Japanese 俗学
- 俗学interpretation of science
Polish nauka popularna, popularnonaukowy
- nauka popularnainterpretation of science
- popularnonaukowyof, or having to do with popular science
Russian научпо́п, нау́чно-популя́рный
- научпо́п (naučpóp)interpretation of science
- нау́чно-популя́рный (naúčno-populjárnyj)of, or having to do with popular science
Spanish de divulgación científica
- de divulgación científicaof, or having to do with popular science
Swedish populärvetenskap, populärvetenskaplig
- populärvetenskapinterpretation of science
- populärvetenskapligof, or having to do with popular science
Turkish popüler bilimsel
- popüler bilimselof, or having to do with popular science
Cite this entry
popular science. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/popular%20science
“popular science.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/popular%20science. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “popular science,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/popular%20science.
Source: popular science on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.