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personnel

[ pur-suh-nel ]
/ ˌpɜr səˈnɛl /
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See synonyms for personnel on Thesaurus.com
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.
personnel department.
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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

usage note for personnel

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.

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH personnel

personal, personnel
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to personnel

cadre, crew, group, organization, people, staff, troop, work force, corps, faculty, helpers, members, office, shop, workers, human resources

How to use personnel in a sentence

  • Secondly, I will adopt the German system of prevoyance, in organising old age pensions for theatrical personnels.

    The Operatic Problem|William Johnson Galloway

  • Il aurait fallu les mettre dans la confidence de faits qui lui taient trop personnels.

    Le chteau des Carpathes|Jules Verne

British Dictionary definitions for personnel

personnel
/ (ˌpɜːsəˈnɛl) /
noun
the people employed in an organization or for a service or undertakingCompare materiel
  1. Also called: human resources the office or department that interviews, appoints, or keeps records of employees
  2. (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
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