masses

/ˈmæsɪz/

/ˈmæsɪz/

The masses refers to a large, general group of regular folks — the common people of a society. If you’re super rich, you ride around in a private jet while the masses take crowded buses.

The masses don’t include celebrities, rich people, royalty, or political leaders. The masses are everybody else. People use this term when they need to speak generally about the majority, although it often refers to the lower class. To win an election, a politician must appeal to the masses. Popular movies and music also must appeal to the masses — in other words, they need mass appeal. The word masses is also just plural for any kind of mass.

Definitions of masses

1. noun

   the common people generally
   synonyms: hoi polloi, mass, 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