People Definition

pēpəl
peopled, peoples, peopling
noun
peoples
Webster's New World
Humans considered as a group or in indefinite numbers. Often treated as a plural of person, especially in compounds.
People were dancing in the street. I met all sorts of people. This book is not intended for laypeople.
American Heritage
The mass of ordinary persons; the populace. Used with the .
American Heritage
The persons belonging to a certain place, community, or class.
The people of Iowa, people of wealth.
Webster's New World
All the persons of a racial, national, religious, or linguistic group; nation, race, etc.
The peoples of the world.
Webster's New World
Antonyms:
verb
peopled, peoples, peopling
To fill with or as with people; populate; stock.
Webster's New World
To be present in or on (a place).
American Heritage

(intransitive) To become populous or populated.

Wiktionary
Synonyms:
affix
Webster's New World

Other Word Forms of People

Noun

Singular:
people
Plural:
peoples

Origin of People

  • Originally a singular noun (e.g. The people is hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness --2 Samuel 17:29, King James Version), the plural aspect of people is probably due to influence from Middle English lede, leed, a plural since Old English times (compare Old English lÄ“ode (“people, men, persons"), plural of Old English lÄ“od (“man, person")). See also lede, leod.

    From Wiktionary

  • From Middle English peple, peeple, from Anglo-Norman people, from Old French pueple, peuple, pople (modern French peuple), from Latin populus (“people"), of unknown origin. Probably of non-Indo-European origin, from Etruscan. Gradually ousted native Middle English lede, leed (“people") (from Old English lÄ“ode).

    From Wiktionary

  • Middle English peple from Old French pueple from Latin populus of Etruscan origin

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

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