people

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   (plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

   old people

2. 2
   noun

   members of a family line

   Your people have been farmers for generations.

3. 3
   noun

   the body of citizens of a state or country

   the Spanish people

4. 4
   verb

   fill with people

   Stalin wanted to people the empty steppes

5. 5
   noun

   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.

6. 6
   noun

   Persons forming or belonging to a particular group, such as a nation, class, ethnic group, country, family, etc.

   a people apart

7. 7
   noun

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

   Moses said, "Let my people go."

8. 8
   noun

   One's colleagues or employees.

   I'll have my people call your people.

Etymology

From Middle English puple, peple, peeple, from Anglo-Norman people, from Old French pueple, peuple, pople, from Latin populus (“a people, nation”), from Old Latin populus, from earlier poplus, from even earlier poplos, from Proto-Italic *poplos (“army”) of unknown origin. Doublet of pueblo. Gradually ousted native English lede and, partially, folk. Originally used with singular verbs (e.g. "the people is hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness" in the King James Version of 2 Samuel 17:29), the plural aspect of people is probably due to influence from Middle English lede, leed, a plur…