demographic
C1Neutral to formal; common in academic, business, media, and technical contexts.
Definition
Meaning
Relating to the statistical study of populations, especially their structure by age, sex, income, etc.
A particular sector or group within a population, defined by shared characteristics. Also used to describe the characteristics of a population or a group.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a noun or adjective. As a noun, it often refers to a specific population group. As an adjective, it describes something related to population statistics. The plural 'demographics' often refers to statistical data itself.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or core usage. Spelling is consistent.
Connotations
Neutral in both varieties. Slightly more common in business/marketing contexts in the US.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in American English due to extensive use in marketing and political analysis.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
target + demographic (verb + noun)demographic + of + group (noun + prep + noun)demographic + shift/change/trend (adj + noun)analyse/study + demographic (verb + noun)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[Not commonly used idiomatically]”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used to identify and describe target customers for marketing and product development.
Academic
Used in sociology, economics, and geography to analyse population structures and changes.
Everyday
Used in news and general discussion about societal changes, e.g., 'an ageing demographic'.
Technical
Precise use in demography, statistics, and data science to refer to population variables.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- [No established verb form for 'demographic']
American English
- [No established verb form for 'demographic']
adverb
British English
- [No established adverb form. Use 'demographically'.]
American English
- [No established adverb form. Use 'demographically'.]
adjective
British English
- The report highlighted several important demographic trends.
- They conducted a detailed demographic analysis of the borough.
American English
- The product launch was based on solid demographic research.
- Demographic shifts are influencing the political landscape.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The town has a young demographic with many families.
- Advertisements are often aimed at a specific demographic, like teenagers.
- The demographic of the neighbourhood is changing.
- The company's marketing strategy targets a high-income demographic aged 25-40.
- A major demographic shift towards urban living is occurring.
- Policymakers must consider the demographic time bomb of an ageing population.
- The demographic data was cross-referenced with consumer spending habits.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: DEMO (people) + GRAPHIC (chart/drawing) = a chart or picture of people's characteristics.
Conceptual Metaphor
POPULATION AS A MAP/CHART (We 'map' demographics, 'chart' demographic changes).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation from Russian 'демография', which is the name of the science 'demography'. 'Demographic' is an adjective or a noun for a *group*, not the science itself.
- Confusing 'demographics' (statistical data) with 'demography' (the scientific study).
Common Mistakes
- Using 'demographic' as a countable noun for a single person (e.g., 'He is a key demographic' is awkward; better: 'He is part of a key demographic').
- Confusing 'demographic' (adj/noun) with 'demography' (noun, the field of study).
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'demographic' used correctly as a noun?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Demographic' is usually an adjective ('demographic data') or a singular noun for a specific group ('a young demographic'). 'Demographics' is a plural noun most commonly referring to the statistical data itself ('the demographics of the area').
No, 'demographic' is not a standard verb. The related verb is 'demograph', but it is rare. Typically, we use phrases like 'analyse the demographics of' or 'segment demographically'.
It is neutral but leans towards formal/academic/business contexts. In everyday conversation, people might use simpler terms like 'group' or 'profile', but 'demographic' is very common in news and professional discussions.
The scientific and statistical study of human populations is called 'demography'. A person who specialises in this is a 'demographer'.