Definitions for peopleˈpi pəl

Random House Webster's College Dictionary

peo•ple^*ˈpi pəl(n.)(pl.)-ples

(n.)persons indefinitely or collectively; persons in general.
persons considered as numerable individuals forming a group.
Category: Common Vocabulary
human beings, as distinguished from animals or other beings.
the entire body of persons who constitute a community or other group by virtue of a common culture, religion, or the like.
the persons of any particular group, company, or number (sometimes used in combination):
salespeople.
the ordinary persons, as distinguished from those who have wealth, rank, influence, etc.
the subjects, followers, or subordinates of a ruler, leader, employer, etc.
the body of enfranchised citizens of a state.
Category: Government
a person's family or relatives.
(v.t.)to furnish with people; populate.
to supply or stock as if with people.

^* for 4 . Usage: people is usu. followed by a plural verb and referred to by a plural pronoun: The people have made their choice. When people means “the entire body of persons who constitute a community by virtue of a common culture, religion, etc.,” it is singular, with the plural peoples : This people shares characteristics with certain inhabitants of central Asia. The aboriginal peoples of the Western Hemisphere speak many different languages. At one time, some usage guides maintained that people could not be preceded by a number, as in Fewer than 30 people showed up. This use is now standard.

Origin of people:

1225–75; ME peple < AF poeple, OF pueple < L populus

Princeton's WordNet

people(noun)
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
"old people"; "there were at least 200 people in the audience"
citizenry, people(noun)
the body of citizens of a state or country
"the Spanish people"
people(noun)
members of a family line
"his people have been farmers for generations"; "are your people still alive?"
multitude, masses, mass, hoi polloi, people, the great unwashed(verb)
the common people generally
"separate the warriors from the mass"; "power to the people"
people(verb)
fill with people
"Stalin wanted to people the empty steppes"
people(verb)
furnish with people
"The plains are sparsely populated"

Kernerman English Learner's Dictionary

peopleˈpi pəl
average people, especially in a particular country
The people should decide whether or not to go to war.
peopleˈpi pəl
a race of people
the many peoples of the world

Wiktionary

people(Noun)
; a body of human beings considered generally or collectively; a group of two or more persons.
people(Noun)
(plural peoples) Persons forming or belonging to a particular group, such as a nation, class, ethnic group, country, family, etc; folk; community.
people(Noun)
A group of persons regarded as being employees, followers, companions or subjects of a ruler.
people(Noun)
One's colleagues or employees.
people(Noun)
A person's ancestors, relatives or family.
My people lived through the Black Plague and the Thirty Years War.
people(Noun)
The mass of a community as distinguished from a special class (elite); the commonalty; the populace; the vulgar; the common crowd; the citizens.
people(Verb)
To stock with people or inhabitants; to fill as with people; to populate.
people(Verb)
To become populous or populated.
people(Verb)
To inhabit; to occupy; to populate.

Origin: From peple, peple, from people, from pueple, pople (modern peuple), from populus "people", of unknown origin. Probably of non-Indo-European origin, from . Gradually ousted native leed (from leode).

Webster Dictionary

People(noun)
the body of persons who compose a community, tribe, nation, or race; an aggregate of individuals forming a whole; a community; a nation
People(noun)
persons, generally; an indefinite number of men and women; folks; population, or part of population; as, country people; -- sometimes used as an indefinite subject or verb, like on in French, and man in German; as, people in adversity
People(noun)
the mass of comunity as distinguished from a special class; the commonalty; the populace; the vulgar; the common crowd; as, nobles and people
People(noun)
one's ancestors or family; kindred; relations; as, my people were English
People(noun)
one's subjects; fellow citizens; companions; followers
People(verb)
to stock with people or inhabitants; to fill as with people; to populate