What does populated mean?
“Populated” is an adjective and verb form meaning that a place, system, or container has people, information, or other material present in it. As an adjective, it commonly describes an inhabited or settled area, as in “a densely populated region,” and can also describe a database or form that contains records. The phrase “populated with” is especially common when describing what supplies a particular system: a page may be populated with images, a list may be populated with names, or a territory may be populated with settlers. In its verb use, “populated” is the past tense and past participle of “populate.” The word is useful because it applies not only to human habitation but also to the deliberate filling of systems with information, making it common in both everyday description and technical language.
Having people living in or present within a place, area, or system; containing information, data, or other material.
"The newly populated district now includes schools, shops, and public transport."
Commonly used with density words such as “densely” and “sparsely,” and with the construction “populated with.”
To fill a place with people or to supply a system, form, or database with content or information.
"The organizers populated the website with updated schedules and contact details."
This entry represents the past tense and past participle of “populate.”
A place can be populated without being populous: one may have many residents spread over a wide area, or a database may be populated with millions of records.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does populated come from?
The word comes from the Latin root “populus,” meaning “people” or “population.” English “populate” developed through Old French “populer,” which was based on the Latin verb “populare,” meaning to fill or furnish with people. “Populated” is the past participle and past-tense form of this verb, while related words such as “population,” “populace,” and “popular” continue the same Latin ancestry.
Related word forms
How populated is actually used
When used as an adjective, “populated” usually follows the noun, as in “a populated area.” It is also commonly used before another noun in the pattern “populated with,” especially in technical and administrative contexts. As a verb form, it is normally used in the past tense or past participle.
Easily confused with populated
“Populated” describes whether a place or system contains people or data, whereas “populous” specifically means densely inhabited or having a large population.