I. ˈpēpəl noun
( plural people or peoples ; see numbered senses )
Etymology: Middle English peple, poeple, from Old French pueple, from Latin populus — more at popular
1. people plural
a. : human beings not individually known or considered as individuals
people say
tell people about his luck
b.
(1) : human beings who form a segment of humanity usually sharing a common characteristic
stupid people
met all sorts of people on the trip
people who live in glass houses
(2) : human beings distributively as individuals or constituting a numerable group
we saw many people on our walk
shelter for thousands of people
c. : human beings as distinguished from the lower animals
diseases that people catch from their pets
it is hard to avoid thinking of some dogs as people
we heard cows lowing but saw no people
2.
a. people plural : human beings making up a group or assembly : persons linked by a common factor: as
(1) : the members of a geographically distinct community
the people of the next town
(2) : persons who share in common a point of origin or residence
city people
mountain people
(3) : members of a racial or national group or of a common ancestry
Chinese people
the Slavic people in the U.S.
Negro people
(4) : the members of a caste, class, or other isolable or identifiable group
illiterate people of the community
(5) : persons sharing a common occupation or interest
academic people
(6) : the members of an organization (as a society or congregation)
the people of the new synagogue
b. plural peoples , obsolete : a concourse of persons : throng , multitude
3. people plural
a. : human beings that constitute an organized body subordinate to a superior: as
(1) : the subjects of a ruler
a king's duty to his people
(2) : a body of retainers, servants, or followers
the family and the people of the household
(3) : the crew of a ship as distinguished from the officers
b. : the members of a family or kinship : ancestors
his people have been farmers for generations
her people are all dead
4. people plural
a. : the mass of a community as distinguished from a special class: as
(1) : the common crowd : commonalty , populace
disputes between the people and the nobles
(2) : laity 2
the priest shall say to the people
b. : plain-mannered persons of unassuming and friendly nature : folks
real people , kind and unpretentious
c. usually capitalized : the common people of a country as distinguished from a privileged minority — used especially by Communists to distinguish Communists or those under Communist control from other people
if one compares the situation in the People's Democracies … with that in the capitalist countries — Hilary Minc
in other Communist states … justice is administered by People's Courts — N.D.Palmer
the Bulgarian People's Republic was proclaimed by the national assembly — Statesman's Year Book
5. plural peoples
a. : a body of persons that are united by a common culture, tradition, or sense of kinship though not necessarily by consanguinity or by racial or political ties and that typically have common language, institutions, and beliefs
many European nations are populated by several distinct peoples
primitive peoples
each people builds a culture adapted to its peculiar needs
b. : a body of persons constituting a politically organized or consanguineous group (as a tribe, nation, or race)
the peoples of Europe
the Caucasian people gradually populated Europe and much of northern Africa
the military genius of the German people
6.
a. : lower animals usually of a specified kind or situation
squirrels, mice, and other mischievous little peoples of field and forest
the clever bee people
b. : supernatural beings that are thought of as similar to humans in many respects
the little people
kobolds, trolls, and such peoples are not to be trusted
7. : the body of enfranchised citizens of a state : electorate ; broadly : the body of persons in whom is vested the sovereignty of a nation or who are capable of expressing their general wish — usually used with the and plural in constr.
8. slang : a human being
Synonyms: see race
II. verb
( peopled ; peopled ; peopling -p(ə)liŋ ; peoples )
Etymology: Middle French peupler, from Old French, from peuple, n.
transitive verb
1. : to supply, stock, or fill with or as if with people
settlers were peopling the new lands
also : to represent or picture as full of inhabitants
2. : to be the inhabitants of : dwell in : inhabit
dreams that people idle hours
a winter sky peopled with stars
intransitive verb
: to become inhabited
the drier lands peopled slowly