Definition of "people" in English

noun

1. 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.
   • These six people are waiting for the bus.
   • Under dictatorship, people suffered and died.
   • XXII people was in this parrish drownd.

2. (countable, collective) Persons forming or belonging to a particular group, such as a nation, class, ethnic group, country, family, etc.

   • a people apart
   • an industrious people
   • the indigenous peoples of Europe
   • the native peoples of Borneo

3. A group of persons regarded as being servants, followers, companions or subjects of a ruler or leader.

   • Moses said, "Let my people go."
   • his people were weary
   • The ox knows its owner, and the ass its master's crib; but Israel does not know, my people does not understand.

4. One's colleagues or employees.

   • I'll have my people call your people.
   • I have my people working on it.

5. A person's ancestors, relatives or family.

   • My people lived through the Black Plague and the Thirty Years War.
   • His people live out west.

6. The mass of a community as distinguished from a special class (elite); the commonalty; the populace; the vulgar; the common crowd; the citizens.

   • The people have successfully stood up against tyranny and totalitarianism.
   • The election is over and the people have spoken.
   • The people won't tolerate so much corruption any more!

7. People in general, humans, by extension sentient beings real or fictional.

   • People don't like it when you tweak their noses.
   • Teachers are people too.

verb

1. (rare, informal, chiefly in the negative) To interact with people; to socialize.

verb

1. (transitive) To stock with people or inhabitants; to fill as with people; to populate.

2. (intransitive) To become populous or populated.

3. (transitive) To inhabit; to occupy; to populate.

   • […] / As thick and numberless / As the gay motes that people the Sun Beams, / […]