people
A1Universal
Definition
Meaning
Human beings collectively; the members of a particular nation, community, or ethnic group considered as a whole.
Used to refer to the ordinary citizens or electorate of a country; also, the men, women, and children of a family or lineage (as in 'my people'); can function as the plural of 'person'.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
As a collective noun, it can take a singular or plural verb ('the people is' vs. 'the people are'), with plural being far more common. The singular 'person' has the regular plural 'persons', which is formal/legal and often used for a specific, countable number ('six persons were charged'). 'People' is the default plural.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage largely identical. In legal/formal contexts, AmE may use 'persons' slightly more, but 'people' is overwhelmingly standard in both.
Connotations
Both share the primary connotation of a collective group. 'The people' has strong democratic/populist connotations in political discourse in both varieties.
Frequency
Extremely high frequency in both, with no significant divergence.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[People] + VERB (e.g., People think...)[ADJ] + people (e.g., elderly people)[PREP] + people (e.g., among the people)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.”
- “Man/woman of the people.”
- “It's a small world (when you meet people you know).”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
People management, people skills, customer-facing people.
Academic
The study of how people migrate...; Indigenous peoples of the region.
Everyday
I met some lovely people. How many people are coming?
Technical
(Sociology) Sampling a cohort of people; (Demographics) projection of working-age people.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The region was peopled by settlers centuries ago.
- He peopled his novel with eccentric characters.
American English
- The islands were originally peopled by Polynesian voyagers.
- The artist peoples her landscapes with mystical creatures.
adjective
British English
- This is a people-led initiative.
- A people-focused approach to policy.
American English
- We need a more people-centered design.
- It's a people-oriented business culture.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Many people like coffee.
- I don't know these people.
- The people in my town are friendly.
- Young people often use social media.
- Some people believe that it's true.
- What will people think?
- The people have spoken through the ballot box.
- Indigenous peoples have unique cultural rights.
- She has a natural talent for working with people.
- The legislation was widely seen as a betrayal of the common people.
- His historical analysis examines how ordinary people experienced the revolution.
- The company's success is predicated on its people-first philosophy.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
People Eat Oranges, People Like Eggs. (P.E.O.P.L.E.)
Conceptual Metaphor
PEOPLE ARE A BODY ('the body politic'), PEOPLE ARE A SEA ('a sea of faces'), PEOPLE ARE A RESOURCE ('human resources').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate 'people' as 'народ' when referring to a specific, countable group (e.g., 'three people' is 'три человека', not 'три народа').
- The singular 'person' is 'человек' or 'личность', not 'персона' in most contexts.
- Avoid using 'люди' for formal/legal countable instances where 'persons'/'лица' might be more appropriate.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'peoples' incorrectly for simple plural (should be 'people'). 'Peoples' correctly refers to distinct ethnic/national groups.
- Using a singular verb with a plural sense (e.g., 'The people is angry' - better: 'The people are angry').
- Confusing 'people' (collective) with 'persons' (specific, countable, formal).
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'people' used correctly as a verb?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Grammatically, it is a plural noun ('people are'). However, when referring to a nation or ethnic group as a singular entity ('the British people'), a singular verb is possible but less common.
'People' is the general plural for 'person' or a collective group. 'Peoples' (plural) specifically refers to multiple distinct ethnic, national, or cultural groups (e.g., 'the indigenous peoples of the Americas').
Use 'persons' in formal, legal, or technical contexts where precise, countable individuals are emphasized (e.g., 'This elevator carries up to eight persons', 'persons of interest'). In everyday language, always use 'people'.
Yes, but it is formal/literary. It means 'to inhabit or populate a place' or 'to fill a creative work with characters' (e.g., 'The valley was peopled by settlers', 'The author peoples her world with giants').
Collections
Part of a collection
Family Members
A1 · 44 words · Words for family, people and relationships at home.