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

Synonyms:

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

Singular:

people

Plural:

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