people
verb
- populate
noun
- plurality of persons considered as a whole, from a government perspective
- used as plural of person; a group of two or more persons
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ˈpi.pəl/ / [ˈpʰi.pəɫ] / [ˈpʰi.pɫ̩]
noun
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 plural since Old English times; see lēode.
- 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.”
“These six people are waiting for the bus.”
- Persons forming or belonging to a particular group, such as a nation, class, ethnic group, country, family, etc.
“a people apart”
“an industrious people”
- A group of persons regarded as being servants, followers, companions or subjects of a ruler or leader.
“Moses said, "Let my people go."”
“his people were weary”
- One's colleagues or employees.
“I'll have my people call your people.”
“I have my people working on it.”
- A person's ancestors, relatives or family.
“My people lived through the Black Plague and the Thirty Years War.”
“His people live out west.”
- The mass of a community as distinguished from a special class (elite); the commonalty; the populace; the vulgar; the common crowd; the citizens.
“The people have successfully stood up against tyranny and totalitarianism.”
“The election is over and the people have spoken.”
- People in general, humans, by extension sentient beings real or fictional.
“People don't like it when you tweak their noses.”
“Teachers are people too.”
verb
Etymology: From Middle English peplen, peuplien, partly from Middle French peupler (from peuple (“people”)) and partly from the noun (etymology 1).
- To stock with people or inhabitants; to fill as with people; to populate.
“He would not be alone, who all things can; / But peopled Heav'n with Angels, Earth with Man.”
“Scenes, long since forgotten, had been peopling his solitude with one still cherished image paramount over all; one young fair face, whose sweet eyes seemed to look upon him reproachfully:...”
- To become populous or populated.
- To inhabit; to occupy; to populate.
“[…] / As thick and numberless / As the gay motes that people the Sun Beams, / […]”