personnel

[pur-suh-nel]

noun

a body of persons employed in an organization or place of work.

(used with a plural verb) persons: All personnel are being given the day off.

Origin of personnel

1825–35; < French, noun use of personnel (adj.) personal < Late Latin persōnāle, neuter of persōnālis; replacing personal (noun), Anglicized form of French personnel; compare German Personal, variant of Personale, Italian personale. See matériel

Can be confusedpersonal personnel (see usage note at the current entry)

Usage note

2. Some usage guides object to the use of personnel as a plural. However, this use is well established and standard in all varieties of speech and writing. The use of personnel with a preceding number is largely restricted to business and government communications: Six personnel were transferred.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for personnels

group, people, crew, cadre, troop, organization, staff, shop, corps, faculty, office

British Dictionary definitions for personnels

personnel

noun

the people employed in an organization or for a service or undertakingCompare materiel

Also called: human resourcesthe office or department that interviews, appoints, or keeps records of employees
(as modifier)a personnel officer

Word Origin for personnel

C19: from French, ultimately from Late Latin persōnālis personal (adj); see person

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for personnels

personnel

1837, from French personnel (a contrastive term to matériel), noun use of personnel (adj.) "personal," from Old French personel (see personal).