(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
"old people"
"there were at least 200 people in the audience"
members of a family line
"his people have been farmers for generations"
"are your people still alive?"
the common people generally
"separate the warriors from the mass"
"power to the people"
Used as plural of person; a body of human beings considered generally or collectively; a group of two or more persons.
"The whole neighborhood came out to welcome the new family back into their old home."
In plain English: People are human beings who live together in groups or communities.
"Many people enjoy walking in the park on sunny days."
Usage: Use "people" to refer to multiple individuals or a collective group, such as "many people attended the event." Do not use it as a singular noun for one individual, which requires the word "person."
To stock with people or inhabitants; to fill as with people; to populate.
"After years of neglect, the city council finally succeeded in populating the abandoned district by offering tax incentives to new residents."
In plain English: To people something means to fill it with characters or figures, usually when creating a story or artwork.
"We spent all summer people-watching from our favorite bench by the river."
Usage: The verb people means to fill a place with inhabitants or residents, such as when a new colony populates an island. It is most commonly used in the passive voice (e.g., "The land was peopled by immigrants") rather than actively.
The word "people" entered Middle English from Anglo-Norman and Old French, tracing back to the Latin populus, which originally meant an army or nation. It gradually replaced the native English terms lede and folk to become the standard word for a group of individuals.