Hoi poloi

[pat2936]

Where did the saying "Hoi Poloi" originate, and what was the original meaning?

[allotment10]

http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/hoipolloi.ht ml

[mike_jln]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoi_polloi

[Xollob]

Hands up. Who else on AB thought "hoi poloi" referred to the upper echelons and not the unwashed masses?

[allotment10]

must admit i'd never even heard of it till i had to look it up for a crossword !! :-)

[Peter Pedant]

oh come on boys
Everyone knows it is Geek for the many.

Hence hoi polloi, and not the hoi polloi

other words, vulgus mobile - moving crowd which gives us mob

and faex mundi - scum of the earth