verb
populate
POP-yuu-layt
verb
1
To live in a place and make up its inhabitants.
"Millions of people populate the greater Tokyo area."
2
To fill something (a database, list, or form) with data.
"The script automatically populates the spreadsheet with last month's sales figures."
How to Use Populate
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo fill a place with inhabitants, or to fill a system with data.
Common pairings
populate a database
densely populated
populate a form
Word Forms
more populate comparative, populated past tense, populates singular, most populate superlative
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Millions of people _____ the greater Tokyo area.
Etymology
From Medieval Latin populatus, past participle of populor ("to people, inhabit"), from Latin populus ("people").