Nearby Words
noun
1.
2.
persons, whether men, women, or children, considered as numerable individuals forming a group: Twenty people volunteered to help.
3.
human beings, as distinguished from animals or other beings.
4.
5.
EXPANDthe persons of any particular group, company, or number (sometimes used in combination): the people of a parish; educated people; salespeople.
6.
the ordinary persons, as distinguished from those who have wealth, rank, influence, etc.: a man of the people.
7.
the subjects, followers, or subordinates of a ruler, leader, employer, etc.: the king and his people.
8.
the body of enfranchised citizens of a state: representatives chosen by the people.
9.
a person's family or relatives: My grandmother's people came from Iowa.
10.
11.
COLLAPSEanimals of a specified kind: the monkey people of the forest.
verb (used with object)
12.
to furnish with people; populate.
13.
to supply or stock as if with people: a meadow peopled with flowers.
:10
:09
:08
:07
:06
:05
:04
:03
:02
:01
Peopling
is always a great word to know.
So is zedonk. Does it mean:
| a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc. |
| the offspring of a zebra and a donkey. |
Origin:
1225–75; Middle English peple < Anglo-French poeple, Old French pueple < Latin populus. See popular
1225–75; Middle English peple < Anglo-French poeple, Old French pueple < Latin populus. See popular
Related forms
peo·ple·less, adjective
peo·pler, noun
out·peo·ple, verb (used with object), -pled, -pling.
un·der·peo·pled, adjective
well-peo·pled, adjective
Can be confused: individual, party, people, person (see usage note at party; see usage note at the current entry; see synonym note at person).
Usage note
People is usually followed by a plural verb and referred to by a plural pronoun: People are always looking for a bargain. The people have made their choice. The possessive is formed regularly, with the apostrophe before the -s: people's desire for a bargain; the people's choice. EXPANDWhen people means “the entire body of persons who constitute a community or other group by virtue of a common culture, history, etc.,” it is used as a singular, with the plural peoples: This people shares characteristics with certain inhabitants of central Asia. The aboriginal peoples of the Western Hemisphere speak many different languages. The formation of the possessive is regular; the singular is people's and the plural is peoples'
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.
COLLAPSE
People is usually followed by a plural verb and referred to by a plural pronoun: People are always looking for a bargain. The people have made their choice. The possessive is formed regularly, with the apostrophe before the -s: people's desire for a bargain; the people's choice. EXPANDWhen people means “the entire body of persons who constitute a community or other group by virtue of a common culture, history, etc.,” it is used as a singular, with the plural peoples: This people shares characteristics with certain inhabitants of central Asia. The aboriginal peoples of the Western Hemisphere speak many different languages. The formation of the possessive is regular; the singular is people's and the plural is peoples'
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.
COLLAPSE
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source
|
Link To peopling
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
people
c.1275, "humans, persons in general," from Anglo-Fr. people, O.Fr. peupel, from L. populus "people," of unknown origin, possibly from Etruscan. Replaced native folk. Meaning "body of persons comprising a community" first recorded 1292 in Anglo-Fr.; meaning "common people, masses"
EXPAND(as distinguished from the nobility) first recorded 1306 in Anglo-Fr. The verb is c.1489 (intrans.), c.1500 (trans.). The word was adopted after c.1920 by Communist totalitarian states to give a spurious sense of populism to their governments. Legal phrase The People vs., in U.S. cases of prosecution under certain laws, dates from 1801. People of the Book "those whose religion entails adherence to a book of divine revelation (1834) translates Arabic Ahl al-Kitab.
COLLAPSE
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Cite This Source
Word Dynamo By Dictionary.com
Dictionary.com, LLC. Copyright © 2012. All rights reserved.