hoi polloi

/ˌˈhɔɪ pəˌˈlɔɪ/

The hoi polloi is a way of referring to common people, and it is an elitist term usually used by people who consider themselves to be above the masses.

Snobs rarely like the hoi polloi — that is, the masses, a.k.a. "the great unwashed." The term comes from the Greek for "the many." Perhaps because of the similar sounding term hoity-toity to mean someone with fancy airs the phrase is sometimes mistaken for its exact opposite — the elite or upper class. Don't be fooled.

Definitions of hoi polloi

1. noun

   the common people generally
   synonyms: mass, masses, multitude, people, the great unwashed

   types:

   laity, temporalty

   in Christianity, members of a religious community that do not have the priestly responsibilities of ordained clergy

   audience

   the part of the general public interested in a source of information or entertainment

   followers, following

   a group of followers or enthusiasts

   readership

   the audience reached by written communications (books or magazines or newspapers etc.)

   TV audience, viewers, viewing audience

   the audience reached by television

   claque

   a group of followers hired to applaud at a performance

   faithful

   any loyal and steadfast following

   fandom

   the fans of a sport or famous person

   type of:

   group, grouping

   any number of entities (members) considered as a unit