/pop"yeuh liz'euhm/ , n.
1. the political philosophy of the People's party.
2. ( l.c. ) any of various, often antiestablishment or anti-intellectual political movements or philosophies that offer unorthodox solutions or policies and appeal to the common person rather than according with traditional party or partisan ideologies.
3. ( l.c. ) grass-roots democracy; working-class activism; egalitarianism.
4. ( l.c. ) representation or extolling of the common person, the working class, the underdog, etc.: populism in the arts.
[ 1890-95, Amer.; popul ( us ) PEOPLE + -ISM ]