people
n. · v.-
1 more than one person (n.) A1 Beginnerthe plural of 'person'; you use this to talk about a group of humans.
the standard plural of 'person' used to refer to a body of individuals collectively.
ExampleThere were so many people at the concert that we couldn't see the stage.
ExampleThe survey indicates that most people prefer working from home at least two days a week to improve their work-life balance.
Usagefunctions as the plural of 'person' but takes a plural verb.
PitfallThere were many persons at the park.There were many people at the park.While 'persons' is grammatically correct, it is very formal and mostly used in legal contexts. Use 'people' for everyday situations.
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2 a nation or ethnic group (n.) B1 Intermediatea group of people who belong to the same country, race, or culture.
a body of persons sharing a common religion, culture, language, or inherited condition of life.
ExampleThe indigenous people of this region have lived here for thousands of years.
ExampleThe museum's latest exhibition explores the history and traditions of the various peoples of the Amazon basin.
UsageIn this sense, 'people' is a countable singular noun and can be pluralised as 'peoples'.
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3 family or relatives (n.) B1 Intermediate Informalyour family members or the people you come from.
one's ancestors, relatives, or immediate family members.
ExampleI am going back to my hometown to spend the holidays with my people.
ExampleHe felt a strong urge to visit the village where his people had lived before emigrating in the late nineteenth century.
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4 the general public (n.) B2 Upper Intermediatethe ordinary citizens of a country, rather than the leaders or the rich.
the mass of a community as distinguished from a special class or elite.
ExampleThe politician claimed to represent the will of the people.
ExampleThe revolution was driven by the people's desire for greater economic equality and political representation.
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5 to populate an area (v.) C1 Advanced Literaryto fill a place with people or characters.
to stock with inhabitants or to occupy a space; often used in the context of fiction or history.
ExampleThe author likes to people her books with strange and interesting characters.
ExampleThe valley was once peopled by a thriving community of farmers before the industrial revolution drew them to the cities.
- depopulate
- abandon
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 Middle English peplen, peuplien, partly from Middle French peupler (from peuple (“people”)) and partly from the noun (etymology 1).
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all things to all people
Someone or something that entirely satisfies the expectations of everyone, no matter how diverse and conflicting those expectations may be.
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beautiful people
Fashionable, privileged, glamorous people, especially those belonging to international high society; the beau monde.
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man of the people
A man, usually a celebrity or political leader, who shows understanding of and sympathy for the concerns of ordinary people, and who has a rapport with and acceptance by them.