People
ˈpiːpl
Definitions
2 meaningsHuman beings in general or considered collectively; the body of persons who are members of a community.
ˈpiːpl
Human beings in general or considered collectively.
Many people enjoy spending time outdoors.
💡 Simply: People are all the humans on Earth, or a group of humans who are related or live in the same place. Like, all the people in your neighborhood, or all the people in a country.
👶 For kids: People are all the grown-ups and kids in the world!
More Examples
The people of the village worked together to build the bridge.
The company aims to improve the lives of its people.
How It's Used
"The people of France are known for their cuisine."
"The government must listen to the people."
"Different people have different customs."
To fill (a place) with people; to populate.
ˈpiːpl
To populate or fill with people.
The settlers began to people the new colony.
💡 Simply: To people something is like putting people in it to live or work, like when you add people to a town or a company.
👶 For kids: When you people a place, you put people in it.
More Examples
The project aimed to people the new community with families.
The company is working to people the new offices.
How It's Used
"The new housing development will people the area."
"Explorers came to people the new lands."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Antonyms
Idioms & expressions
people person
A person who enjoys and is good at interacting with other people.
"She's a real people person and thrives in a customer-facing role."
the people
The ordinary citizens of a country or society, as opposed to the ruling elite.
"The revolution was led by the people against the oppressive regime."
From Middle English *peple*, from Old French *pople* ('people, population'), from Latin *populus* ('people, a multitude').
The word 'people' has been used in English for over a thousand years, evolving from its Latin roots to encompass broader meanings of population and community.
Memory tip
Think of the 'p' as standing for 'population'.
Word Origin
"people, nation"