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

See Examples For:

street people

So on the street, people feel free to come up, give you a hug and start talking to you.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 10, 2026

“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

“She could go to restaurants without being photographed all the time … in the street, people didn’t stare at her or ask for her autograph.”

From Seattle Times ● May 25, 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