Gallup poll

English

Etymology

Eponym.

Noun

Gallup poll (plural Gallup polls)

1. A poll of the opinion of randomly chosen persons, used to represent the opinion of the public, conducted by George Gallup or one the companies he founded.
2. (by extension, informal) Any poll of the opinion of randomly chosen persons, used to represent the opinion of the public.
   • 1971, Herman Wouk, The Winds of War, chapter 42,

     "Pity we live in the same century with that strange creature. Say, we have here two men who talked at length face to face with the fellow. Let's take a Gallup poll. Sumner, do you think Hitler is a madman?"

   • 1988, Martha E. Gellhorn, The View from the Ground, Atlantic Monthly Press, →ISBN, page 223:

     My tiny personal Gallup poll unearthed plenty of refugees who were happy where they were and had no desire to return to Palestine, no matter what;... .

   • 1999 (date of publication), The Freedom Writers and Erin Gruwell, The Freedom Writers Diary, →ISBN, Diary 54,

     It was like that until I transferred to Ms. Gruwell's class. Up until that point it had always been: "So, Joyce, how do black people feel about Affirmative Action?"...

     I just new I wouldn't have to keep sending Gallup polls out to Negroes all around the country. And that is how I found myself starting my junior year in Ms. Gruwell's class.