people
persons indefinitely or collectively; persons in general: to find it easy to talk to people; What will people think?
persons, whether men, women, or children, considered as numerable individuals forming a group: Twenty people volunteered to help.
human beings, as distinguished from animals or other beings.
the entire body of persons who constitute a community, tribe, nation, or other group by virtue of a common culture, history, religion, or the like: the people of Australia; the Jewish people.
the persons of any particular group, company, or number (sometimes used in combination): the people of a parish; educated people; salespeople.
the ordinary persons, as distinguished from those who have wealth, rank, influence, etc.: a man of the people.
the subjects, followers, or subordinates of a ruler, leader, employer, etc.: the king and his people.
the body of enfranchised citizens of a state: representatives chosen by the people.
a person's family or relatives: My grandmother's people came from Iowa.
(used in the possessive in Communist or left-wing countries to indicate that an institution operates under the control of or for the benefit of the people, especially under Communist leadership): people's republic; people's army.
animals of a specified kind: the monkey people of the forest.
to furnish with people; populate.
to supply or stock as if with people: a meadow peopled with flowers.
Origin of people
1synonym study For people
Grammar notes for people
usage note For people
At one time, some usage guides maintained that people could not be preceded by a number, as in Fewer than 30 people showed up. This use is now unquestionably standard in all contexts.
Other words from people
- peo·ple·less, adjective
- peopler, noun
- outpeople, verb (used with object), out·peo·pled, out·peo·pling.
- un·der·peo·pled, adjective
- well-peopled, adjective
Words that may be confused with people
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use people in a sentence
He said he hoped their “shed blood [would] act as a seed of hope in order to build authentic brotherhood among peoples.”
Catholic Nuns Aiding Africa's Battered Wives Are Raped and Murdered | Barbie Latza Nadeau | September 10, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTBut the Roman orator Cicero felt that Calgacus and the peoples vanquished by Rome were missing a broader point.
In 1905, a group of Indians from a variety of native peoples united to entrench “tribal sovereignty” against federal power.
And white supremacists continue to advocate for a homeland in the Pacific Northwest for “the Aryan peoples of the earth.”
Maps have long served to formalize authority over peoples and their lands and resources.
An inconceivable revolution in the thought of the English speaking peoples has taken place in respect to it.
The Unsolved Riddle of Social Justice | Stephen LeacockOutside Rome, showing the same ideas at work among neighbouring peoples, was the 'golden bough' in the grove of Diana at Aricia.
The Religion of Ancient Rome | Cyril BaileyThe rustlers have been stealing your cattle and a lot of other peoples for a long time, havent they?
The Adventure Girls at K Bar O | Clair BlankThis art is not practised by the surrounding peoples, and is the strongest evidence of a community of origin.
Man And His Ancestor | Charles MorrisAll the ancient civilized peoples used ropes and cordage, made from such flexible materials as their countries afforded.
The Wonder Book of Knowledge | Various
British Dictionary definitions for people
/ (ˈpiːpəl) /
persons collectively or in general
a group of persons considered together: blind people
plural peoples the persons living in a country and sharing the same nationality: the French people
one's family: he took her home to meet his people
persons loyal to someone powerful: the king's people accompanied him in exile
the people
the mass of persons without special distinction, privileges, etc
the body of persons in a country, esp those entitled to vote
(tr) to provide with or as if with people or inhabitants
Origin of people
1people
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
Other Idioms and Phrases with people
In addition to the idiom beginning with people
- people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones
also see:
- tell (people) apart
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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