Hoi polloi

Hoi polloi (Greek: οι πολλοι), an expression meaning "the many" in Ancient Greek, is used in English to denote "the masses" or "the people," usually in a derogatory sense. Since "hoi" means "the," it might be said that the common usage of the hoi polloi is incorrect. However, this later usage is very well-established and it is often the case that phrases borrowed from other languages become treated as single words in English.^[1]

Since the 1950's the phrase is often misused to refer to the upper class, which is the opposite of its actual meaning. ^[2]

Other Uses

• Hoi Polloi is also also the name of many business, including a dance group based in Boston, Massachusetts^[3], a woman's boutique in New Orleans, Louisiana^[4], and film crew in the United Kingdom^[5]

Notes

1. ^ American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
2. ^ Random House Word of the Day
3. ^ Hoi Polloi dance group.
4. ^ Hoi Polloi boutique
5. ^ Hoi Polloi film crew