tradespeople

American  

[treydz-pee-puhl] / ˈtreɪdzˌpi pəl /

Also tradesfolk

plural noun

1. those persons who are engaged in trade; tradesmen.

2. Chiefly British.

   1. tradesmen.

   2. shopkeepers collectively.

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tradespeople British  

/ ˈtreɪdzˌfəʊk, ˈtreɪdzˌpiːpəl /

plural noun

1. people engaged in trade, esp shopkeepers

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Etymology

Origin of tradespeople

First recorded in 1720–30; trade + 's ¹ + people

Example Sentences

So local officials are weighing a developer’s pitch to erect a “temporary workforce housing complex” for as many as 5,600 laborers and tradespeople.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026

Smiling on the banks of a canal in the centre of Amsterdam, Prins is adamant smaller specialist tradespeople in Amsterdam will benefit from the new advertising ban.

From BBC • May 3, 2026

The brand also gives priority to comfort, since younger generations of tradespeople tend to gravitate toward more comfortable and lighter fabrics that can still be practical, Girouard said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 2, 2026

Today, with just a dozen left and at least one set to retire this year, these tradespeople are disappearing.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 14, 2026

When the first commercial public concerts started taking place in London the net widened to include merchants and tradespeople, a development in which England very much led the way.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall