populations
populations — noun
- populationssingular
- populationsesplural
1. Every person residing within a specific nation, city, or other geographic region
Every person residing within a specific nation, city, or other geographic region, seen as a single body.
The populations of both cities grew after the new railway was built.
populations of + [plural places] for comparing areas
Diya compared the populations of the ten largest countries in Asia.
Japan's population has been getting smaller for many years.
Small towns in this area often have populations of fewer than five thousand people.
The population of this island is around three hundred thousand.
- inhabitants
more formal; focuses on the individuals residing there
- residents
everyday term for people living in a place
- citizens
specifically refers to people with legal membership in a country or city
文法句型
population of + [place]
plural: populations + verb (when comparing areas)
用法筆記
The singular form "population" refers to one place's total residents; the plural "populations" is commonly used when comparing or discussing multiple areas together.
常見錯誤
2. A group of living things of a specific kind that share one particular place, oft
A group of living things of a specific kind that share one particular place, often distinguished from the total number of residents by a shared characteristic.
The deer population in this forest has doubled since 2010.
[animal] + population — describing a species group
Kemi works with homeless populations in large cities across the region.
homeless populations — human subgroup described by adjective
Bird populations along the coast are threatened by new buildings.
The student population at the university comes from over fifty countries.
Doctors worry about the health of elderly populations in rural areas.
- community
broader term that also suggests social interaction among the group
- group
more general and less formal
- species population
used for animals — specifies the biological group
文法句型
[adjective/noun] + population(s)
用法筆記
Usually preceded by an adjective or noun that specifies the type of group, such as "deer population," "student population," "elderly population," or "bird populations." Unlike sense 1, this sense is always countable.
常見錯誤
3. In statistics and research, the entire collection of individuals, objects, or me
In statistics and research, the entire collection of individuals, objects, or measurements that a study investigates, from which a sample may be selected.
The researcher chose a population of two thousand adults for the survey.
population of + [number] + [group] — defining the study group
In statistics, the population includes every member of the group being studied.
Tara's sample must truly represent the whole population of factory workers.
The populations studied in the report were women over fifty who exercise regularly.
If the target population is too large, researchers take a smaller sample instead.
- universe
synonymous in statistical contexts, though less common in everyday research writing
- sampling frame
more specific — the list from which the sample is actually drawn
- sample
the subset actually measured, drawn from the population
文法句型
population of + [group]
study population
target population
用法筆記
Technical term in statistics and academic research. The singular "population" refers to one complete group; the plural "populations" is used when a study examines multiple distinct groups. Commonly contrasted with "sample," which is a subset drawn from the population.