personnel

[ pur-suh-nel ]
See synonyms for personnel on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a body of persons employed in an organization or place of work.

  2. (used with a plural verb) persons: All personnel are being given the day off.

Origin of personnel

1
1825–35; <French, noun use of personnel (adj.) personal <Late Latin persōnāle, neuter of persōnālis; replacing personal (noun), Anglicized form of French personnel; compare German Personal, variant of Personale,Italian personale.See matériel

usage note For personnel

2. Some usage guides object to the use of personnel as a plural. However, this use is well established and standard in all varieties of speech and writing. The use of personnel with a preceding number is largely restricted to business and government communications: Six personnel were transferred.

Words that may be confused with personnel

Words Nearby personnel

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use personnel in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for personnel

personnel

/ (ˌpɜːsəˈnɛl) /


noun
  1. the people employed in an organization or for a service or undertaking: Compare materiel

    • Also called: human resources the office or department that interviews, appoints, or keeps records of employees

    • (as modifier): a personnel officer

Origin of personnel

1
C19: from French, ultimately from Late Latin persōnālis personal (adj); see person

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