Added 1 October 2026
people
/ˈpi.pəl/ noun
In Latin: populus, gēns Wiktionary
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about people at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
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plural of person: a body of persons considered generally or collectively; a group of two or more persons.
There were so many people at the restaurant last night.
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Persons forming or belonging to a particular group, such as a nation, class, ethnic group, country, family, etc.
a people apart
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A group of persons regarded as being servants, followers, companions or subjects of a ruler or leader.
Moses said, "Let my people go."
verb
verb
Origin
From Middle English puple, peple, peeple, from Anglo-Norman people, from Old French pueple, peuple, pople, from Latin populus (“a people, nation”), from Old Latin populus, from earlier poplus, from even earlier poplos, from Proto-Italic *poplos (“army”) of unknown origin. Doublet of pueblo. Gradually ousted native English lede and, partially, folk. Originally used with singular verbs (e.g. "the people is hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness" in the King James Version of 2 Samuel 17:29), the plural aspect of people is probably due to influence from Middle English lede, leed, a plural since Old English times; see lēode.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)