Does Oi Polloi Mean?

Hoi polloi is an expression from Greek that means the many or, in the strictest sense, the people. In English, it has been given a negative connotation to signify the masses. Synonyms for hoi polloi include "the plebeians" or "plebs", "the rabble", "the masses", "the great unwashed", "riffraff", and "the proles".

What does polloi mean in English?

In Greek, hoi polloi means simply "the many". (Even though hoi itself means "the", in English we almost always say "the hoi polloi".) It comes originally from the famous Funeral Oration by Pericles, where it was actually used in a positive way.

What is mean by Hoi?

The common people; the masses. [Greek, the many : hoi, nominative pl. ... Usage Note: The phrase hoi polloi comes from Greek, where it means "the masses," and properly used, the English word means the same thing.