people's party: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, Political
Quick answer
What does “people's party” mean?
A political party that claims to represent the interests of ordinary citizens, often positioning itself against established elites.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A political party that claims to represent the interests of ordinary citizens, often positioning itself against established elites.
A political organization with a name that explicitly includes 'People's Party', often used by centrist, populist, or left-leaning groups to emphasize grassroots support and democratic ideals. Can also refer historically to specific parties like the US Populist Party of the 1890s.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the UK, 'People's Party' is less common as a standalone party name but appears in compounds (e.g., 'Scottish People's Party'). In the US, it has historical specificity referring to the late-19th century Populist movement. Modern usage in both regions is similar.
Connotations
UK: May imply a left-wing or republican orientation. US: Strong historical connotations of agrarian reform and economic populism; modern use can signal a centrist or anti-corruption platform.
Frequency
Low frequency in general discourse, but high frequency in political science, history, and news contexts discussing specific parties.
Grammar
How to Use “people's party” in a Sentence
The [Country] People's PartyThe People's Party of [Region]a newly formed people's partyVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “people's party” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The activists sought to people's-party the movement, but it remained informal.
- They hoped to people's-party their campaign for greater appeal.
American English
- The group tried to people's-party their platform to attract working-class voters.
- You can't just people's-party a political agenda without clear policies.
adverb
British English
- The policy was drafted people's-party-ly, with many public consultations.
- He spoke people's-party-ly, avoiding technical jargon.
American English
- They governed people's-party-ly, focusing on town halls and polls.
- The bill was written people's-party-ly to ensure broad comprehension.
adjective
British English
- He had a people's-party demeanour that resonated in the post-industrial towns.
- Their people's-party rhetoric was effective but vague.
American English
- The candidate's people's-party style contrasted with his wealthy background.
- It was a people's-party initiative aimed at campaign finance reform.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in political risk analysis (e.g., 'The rise of the People's Party could impact market regulations').
Academic
Common in political science, history, and sociology texts discussing party systems, populism, and democratic representation.
Everyday
Used when discussing specific political parties in the news or in one's country.
Technical
Used as a proper noun for specific registered political organizations.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “people's party”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “people's party”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “people's party”
- Using lowercase for 'People's' when it is part of a proper name (e.g., 'the people's party' vs. 'the People's Party').
- Omitting the apostrophe-s ('peoples party').
- Using it as a common noun instead of a proper noun.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, when used to refer to a specific political organization, it is a proper noun and should be capitalized. It is not typically used as a common noun to describe any party that serves the people.
'People's Party' is often the official name of a specific party. 'Populist Party' is more of a descriptive label for any party that employs populist rhetoric and policies, though it was also the informal name for the historical US People's Party.
Yes, but carefully. You can refer to 'several People's Parties across Europe', meaning several distinct parties that each have 'People's Party' in their name. It is not used to mean 'parties of the people' in a generic sense.
The apostrophe-s indicates the possessive, meaning 'the party of the people'. Omitting it ('Peoples Party') changes the meaning to imply a party of multiple peoples or ethnic groups, which is a different concept.
A political party that claims to represent the interests of ordinary citizens, often positioning itself against established elites.
People's party is usually formal, political in register.
People's party: in British English it is pronounced /ˈpiːpəlz ˈpɑːti/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈpiːpəlz ˈpɑːrti/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A party of the people, by the people, for the people”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'PEOPLE' own the party (people's) – it's their political celebration.
Conceptual Metaphor
POLITICAL PARTY IS A VEHICLE FOR THE COMMON PERSON.
Practice
Quiz
What is a key historical association of 'People's Party' in the United States?