Word
personnel
Phoneticsper·son·nel, stress on the third syllable
US/ˌpɝsəˈnɛɫ/
UK/pˌɜːsənˈɛl/
Definitions
01employees
B2 · Upper Intermediate Plural noun Formal
n. the group of people who work for a company, the military, or an organization.
n. the collective body of persons employed in a service, business, or military context.
“The company is looking for new personnel to join the marketing team.”
“All military personnel were ordered to return to their bases immediately following the security breach.”
Usage
Usually treated as a plural noun; it takes a plural verb and no 's' at the end.
Pitfall
The personnels are unhappy.
The personnel are unhappy.
Personnel is a collective noun and does not take an 's'. It is usually followed by a plural verb.
Teaching tip
Learners often confuse this with 'personal'. Remind them that 'personnel' has two 'n's and the stress is on the final syllable.
02HR department
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun Formal
n. the department in a company that deals with hiring, training, and helping employees.
n. the department within an organization concerned with the administration and management of employees.
“If you have a problem with your contract, you should speak to personnel.”
“The personnel department is currently reviewing the benefits package to ensure it remains competitive within the industry.”
Usage
Often used as a proper noun or with 'the' to refer to a specific office.
Teaching tip
In modern business, 'Human Resources' or 'HR' is more common, but 'Personnel' is still frequently used in older or more traditional organizations.
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “personnel” in context.
Verb
01. deploy personnel
“The government decided to deploy personnel to the border to assist with the humanitarian crisis.”
verb + noun
02. train personnel
“We need to invest more resources to train personnel in the use of the new software system.”
verb + noun
Adjective
03. military personnel
“The base was strictly off-limits to anyone other than authorized military personnel.”
adj + noun
04. key personnel
“The success of the merger depends on retaining key personnel within the engineering department.”
adj + noun
05. qualified personnel
“The hospital is currently struggling to recruit enough qualified personnel to staff the new wing.”
adj + noun
Noun
06. personnel department
“All new employees are required to submit their tax forms to the personnel department.”
noun + noun
07. personnel manager
“You should speak to the personnel manager if you have any questions regarding your contract.”
noun + noun
08. shortage of personnel
“The project was delayed by several months due to a chronic shortage of personnel.”
noun + of + noun
Confusables
Personal is an adjective for private matters, while personnel is a noun for a group of employees.
RememberPersonal has one 'n' for one person; personnel has two 'n's for many staff.
Real-World Examples
“Bradley’s command, which has about 80,000 personnel and is based at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, undertakes the US military’s most sensitive and dangerous covert operations.” “Ambrey said it was working with Omani authorities and that its services had been engaged as part of a “significant international response” that included salvage vessels, aircraft and specialist personnel.” “Authorities in Cali, Armenia and Manizales announced curfews, with Cali’s mayor saying threats of looting had forced him to deploy police and military personnel to the streets.” Etymology
Unadapted borrowing from French personnel. Doublet of personal.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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