people

American  

[pee-puhl] / ˈpi pəl /

noun

plural

peoples

1. persons indefinitely or collectively; persons in general.

   to find it easy to talk to people; What will people think?

2. persons, whether men, women, or children, considered as numerable individuals forming a group.

   Twenty people volunteered to help.

3. human beings, as distinguished from animals or other beings.

4. the entire body of persons who constitute a community, tribe, nation, or other group by virtue of a common culture, history, religion, or the like.

   the people of Australia; the Jewish people.

5. the persons of any particular group, company, or number (sometimes used in combination).

   the people of a parish; educated people; salespeople.

6. the ordinary persons, as distinguished from those who have wealth, rank, influence, etc..

   a man of the people.

7. the subjects, followers, or subordinates of a ruler, leader, employer, etc..

   the king and his people.

8. the body of enfranchised citizens of a state.

   representatives chosen by the people.

9. a person's family or relatives.

   My grandmother's people came from Iowa.

10. (used in the possessive in Communist or left-wing countries to indicate that an institution operates under the control of or for the benefit of the people, especially under Communist leadership).

    people's republic; people's army.

11. animals of a specified kind.

    the monkey people of the forest.

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verb (used with object)

peopled, peopling

1. to furnish with people; populate.

2. to supply or stock as if with people.

   a meadow peopled with flowers.

people British  

/ ˈpiːpəl /

noun

1. persons collectively or in general

2. a group of persons considered together

   blind people

3. the persons living in a country and sharing the same nationality

   the French people

4. one's family

   he took her home to meet his people

5. persons loyal to someone powerful

   the king's people accompanied him in exile

6. 1. the mass of persons without special distinction, privileges, etc

   2. the body of persons in a country, esp those entitled to vote

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verb

1. (tr) to provide with or as if with people or inhabitants

people Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing people

• tell (people) apart

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Grammar

Is the plural persons or people? See person.

Usage

People is usually followed by a plural verb and referred to by a plural pronoun: People are always looking for a bargain. The people have made their choice. The possessive is formed regularly, with the apostrophe before the -s: people's desire for a bargain; the people's choice. When people means “the entire body of persons who constitute a community or other group by virtue of a common culture, history, etc.,” it is used as a singular, with the plural peoples : This people shares characteristics with certain inhabitants of central Asia. The aboriginal peoples of the Western Hemisphere speak many different languages. The formation of the possessive is regular; the singular is people's and the plural is peoples '. At one time, some usage guides maintained that people could not be preceded by a number, as in Fewer than 30 people showed up. This use is now unquestionably standard in all contexts.

Related Words

See race ².

Other Word Forms

• outpeople verb (used with object)
• peopleless adjective
• peopler noun
• underpeopled adjective
• well-peopled adjective

Etymology

Origin of people

First recorded in 1225–75; Middle English peple, from Anglo-French poeple, Old French pueple, from Latin populus; popular

Explanation

Human beings are people. Individuals, folks, humankind — we're all people. The word people is usually a noun, as in: two or more humans. It can also mean "all the citizens," as in a political leader who understands the needs of the people. People can also be a verb meaning "to inhabit or fill with people," as in: we need to people the empty seats so that tonight's speaker isn't disappointed with a small audience.

Example Sentences

Under the Equality Act, venues have a legal responsibility to make reasonable adjustments to ensure access for disabled people.

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

All the more interesting is that this comes from a group of men who trusted the people to find and practice what the First Amendment prohibited the government from imposing upon them.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

“People who are just casual sports fans, or people who are not even sports fans, will go and fall in love with the game for the first time.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026

If you’re an astronomer, it’s people confusing what you do with astrology.

From Salon • Apr. 14, 2026

“It’s a place that has been created for Indigenous people across Turtle Island,” her moshom said.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Related Words

• community
• crowd
• family
• folk
• nation
• population
• public
• society