Is the Plural of “Person” People or Persons?
When referring to more than one human being, should you use people or persons? This question causes a surprising amount of confusion, but the modern rule is quite clear. For nearly all situations, people is the correct plural form of person. The word persons is a far more specialized term, mostly reserved for legal and highly formal contexts. Let’s explore the rules, history, and examples to clear up any uncertainty.
There are five people waiting in line.
The elevator capacity is ten persons. (Formal notice)
There are five persons waiting in line. (Awkward in casual use)
The peoples of the company gathered for a meeting.
The Standard Plural: “People”
In modern English, people is the standard plural of person. When you are talking about a group of individuals, whether it’s two or two million, people is the word to use. It treats the group collectively. This usage is appropriate in all common contexts, from casual conversation to formal academic and business writing.
The word itself derives from the Latin populus, which referred to a community or a nation—a collective group. This origin helps explain its modern usage as a word for a general group of human beings.
| Context | Example Sentences with “People” |
|---|---|
| Casual Conversation |
How many people are coming to the party? Most people enjoy listening to music. |
| Business & Professional |
We need to hire three new people for the sales team. The presentation was well-received by the people in attendance. |
| General Statements |
Young people are often passionate about social change. Millions of people visit the museum each year. |
The Formal Plural: “Persons”
So if people is the standard plural, where does that leave persons? The word persons is not incorrect, but its use is now almost exclusively limited to legal, technical, or otherwise highly formal contexts. Unlike people, which treats a group collectively, persons is used to emphasize the individuality of each member of the group. It refers to a countable number of individuals, rather than a general mass.
In legal writing, this distinction is important because laws and regulations apply to individuals. This is why you see official signs that say “Occupancy by more than 15 persons is unlawful” or hear legal phrases like “persons of interest” and “missing persons.” In these cases, the law is concerned with each separate person. Using persons outside these contexts can sound stuffy, archaic, or unnecessarily formal.
| Correct Usage of “Persons” (Formal/Legal) | Awkward Usage of “Persons” (General) |
|---|---|
| The police are searching for two persons of interest. | I invited ten persons to my birthday party. |
| This vehicle is designed to carry a maximum of five persons. | This meeting is for all interested persons. |
| Any persons found trespassing will be prosecuted. | I saw three persons walking their dogs in the park. |
A Group of Groups: “Peoples”
To add one more layer, the word peoples also exists, but it serves a very different function. Peoples is the plural of people, and it is used only when referring to two or more distinct ethnic, cultural, or national groups. You are no longer talking about a collection of individuals, but a collection of entire communities.
| Correct Usage of “Peoples” |
|---|
|
The exhibit celebrates the art of the indigenous peoples of the Amazon rainforest. The treaty was signed by the leaders of both the Israeli and Palestinian peoples. The United Nations works to protect the rights of peoples across the globe. |
FAQs
A: The standard plural of “person” is “people.” You should use “people” in almost all everyday writing and conversation.
A: Yes, but only in specific formal, technical, or legal contexts where it’s necessary to refer to individuals as distinct and countable entities. For example, on official notices or in legal documents.
A: “People” refers to a group of individuals. “Peoples” refers to multiple distinct ethnic, cultural, or national groups.
Sources
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Merriam-Webster, “people.”
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Garner, Bryan A. Garner’s Modern English Usage. 4th ed., Oxford University Press, 2016.
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The Chicago Manual of Style. 17th ed., The University of Chicago Press, 2017.
Yash, D. "How to Use Person Plural (Persons vs. People?)." Grammarflex, Aug 1, 2025, https://grammarflex.com/person-plural/.
