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Glite Dictionary
🗣️ Appeal to popularity ⚖️ Against the people
in populum

in populum

9.9
A Latin phrase used in law meaning against the people
  • idiom
  • /ɪn ˈpɒpələm/
  • Formal
translation icon : in populum
  • The judge cited the doctrine of in populum when explaining the verdict.

Examples

  • Legal scholars debated the relevance of in populum in modern court cases.

  • The principle of in populum was referenced in the legal argument.

  • The lawyer argued in populum during the trial.

  • Many legal experts criticize appeals made in populum.

  • The lawyer emphasized the concept of in populum to highlight the case's importance to the community.

  • During the hearing, the attorney reminded the court of the significance of in populum in ensuring justice for all citizens.

  • The judge explained the implications of in populum in relation to the rights of individuals vs. the will of the majority.

Surface Forms

in populum main

Morphology

in + populum

The phrase is compositionally built from Latin in ('in,/to/against') + populum (people), so a learner who genuinely knew both constituents could infer an approximate sense related to ‘the people’. However, this is a technical Latin legal locution whose precise sense and case-driven directionality (e.g. ‘against the people’ vs. ‘to the people’) depend on Latin grammar and legal convention, so the meaning is not fully predictable for a B1 learner without exposure.

Etymology

In populum was a Latin legal phrase made of in and populum, meaning 'to the people' or 'against the people'. Courts used it for cases that concerned the whole community, so today it appears in law when a matter is brought for or against the public.