The term populace refers to the people who live in a specific place, such as the inhabitants or community of a city or country. On the other hand, populous is an adjective that describes a place that has a large population or is densely inhabited.

Populous, meaning having many inhabitants, is always an adjective. Populace is a noun referring to a population or the general public. So we might say, for example, that a populous city has a large populace.

While “populous” focuses on the population density or number of people in a place, “populace” refers to the general population or the ordinary people of a specific area. It emphasizes the idea of a large group of people with shared characteristics or interests.