persons

Multiple distinct individuals

Persons is the plural of person, used in formal, legal, or official contexts where *people* would sound too casual: All persons entering the building must show identification, missing persons report.

The phrase persons of interest refers to those under investigation.

Outside legal and administrative language, *people* is the standard plural.

humanity

mankind

Collective term for people

human beings · individuals · souls · populace · societies · cultures · civilizations · nations · populations · communities

personhood

consciousness

State of sentient awareness

rights · sentience · self-awareness · morality · subjectivity · integrity · humanity · existence · citizenship · legal standing

individuals

somebody

Unidentified individual

soul · character · figure · being · party · body · head · specimen · type · sort

identity

self

One's own being

ego · essence · psyche · self-concept · self-image · persona · uniqueness · self-identity · temperament · disposition

groups

crowd

Large public gathering

collective · throng · masses · audience · congregation · mob · flock · team · crew · party

legal-entities

corporations

Legally incorporated business entities

associations · firms · companies · enterprises · partnerships · foundations · charities · NGOs · trusts · estates

Categories
Opposites
individuality vs. collectivity

personscrowd

Large public gathering

mob · horde · masses · populace · multitude

human vs. non-human entity

personsthings

Objects in general

objects · machines · animals · automatons · entities

animate vs. inanimate

personsobjects

Tangible items or protests

things · matter · substances · stuff · items

Phrases
Family

person, personal, personality, impersonal, personable, personify, personage, personification, personified

Familiarity
Top 100,000
Profile
Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Everyday, not technical · Rated G