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

"Many skilled tradespeople - electricians, roofers, installation specialists, technicians and craftspeople - are earning excellent incomes and are desperately needed by society," Van der Helm explains.

From BBC • Jun. 7, 2026

Brunt Workwear sells footwear and clothes to tradespeople such as mechanics, builders and electricians.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 2, 2026

Host Nick Knowles made a public appeal for extra tradespeople last week - to help push the project over the line - before the burglary on Friday night.

From BBC • Dec. 8, 2025

In the United States as in Europe, many of Darwin’s most ardent backers were successful tradespeople whose hobby was butterfly or beetle collecting.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann