street people

American  

[street pee-puhl] / ˈstrit ˌpi pəl /

plural noun

1. people whose home is on the streets of a city; people who are unhoused or experiencing homelessness.

2. people who make their living on the streets, especially of large cities, as vendors or performers.

3. the people of a neighborhood, especially a poor and crowded big-city neighborhood, who frequent the streets of their area.

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Etymology

Origin of street people

First recorded in 1840–50

Example Sentences

“It can be used to point at people in the street, people in cars, and scan their facial prints without their consent,” said Kate Voigt, a senior policy counsel with the American Civil Liberties Union.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 5, 2026

In the street, people danced to the sound of reggae tunes and local funana music.

From Barron's • Oct. 13, 2025

“When we walk down the street, people know she’s somebody,” she said later of Sullivan.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 15, 2023

I don’t necessarily know what the specific elements are, but when I go to New York, and I walk down the street, people will yell at me that they can tell.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 23, 2023

If a block’s been roped off because there’s an unexploded bomb buried in the street, people just go round another way.

From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin