personnel

per·son·nel

noun \ˌpər-sə-ˈnel\

Definition of PERSONNEL

1

a : a body of persons usually employed (as in a factory or organization) b personnel plural : persons

2

: a division of an organization concerned with personnel

Examples of PERSONNEL

1. Over 10,000 military personnel were stationed in the country.
2. They've reduced the number of personnel working on the project.
3. Talk to personnel if you have any questions about your health insurance.
4. She's the director of personnel.
5. Women are also underrepresented as police force members, composing less than 13 percent of sworn personnel, despite the proven benefits of having more women in blue, such as less use of excessive force and improved response to domestic violence. —Cortney Rock, Ms., Winter 2007
6. When the staff returned to the Oval Office, Bush's mood was upbeat, according to a White House aide who was present (and who, like all White House personnel quoted in this story, follows a policy of not being quoted by name). —Richard Wolffe et al., Newsweek, 19 June 2006
7. The doorway that sheltered them from the rain leads to government offices now, but in Franco's time the building was a political prison. Its personnel and their diligent labours earned the place a charming nom de guerre—the House of Screams. —A. L. Kennedy, On Bullfighting, 1999
8. The only firm rule is: Armored personnel carriers have the right of way. —P. J. O'Rourke, Holidays in Hell, 1988

Origin of PERSONNEL

French, from German Personale, Personal, from Medieval Latin personale, from Late Latin, neuter of personalis personal

First Known Use: 1837

Related to PERSONNEL

Synonyms: help, labor force, manpower, force, pool, staff, workforce

Related Words: labor, proletariat, rank and file; band, company, crew, gang, outfit, party, squad, team; employee (also employe), helper, hireling, worker; blood; support

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Other Business Terms

amortize, caveat emptor, clearinghouse, divest, due diligence, emolument, green-collar, marque, overhead, perquisite

Rhymes with PERSONNEL

APL, Appenzell, aquarelle, asphodel, Azazel, bagatelle, barbicel, béchamel, brocatelle, Camberwell, caramel, caravel, carousel, cascabel, chanterelle, chaparral, Charles Martel, citadel, clientele, cockleshell, Cozumel, decibel, demoiselle, diving bell, fare-thee-well, fontanel, immortelle, Jezebel, killer cell, kiss-and-tell, lenticel, mangonel, muscatel, ne'er-do-well, Neuchâtel, Neufchâtel, New Rochelle, nonpareil, organelle, oversell, parallel, pedicel, pennoncel, petronel, Philomel, pimpernel, rebel yell, red blood cell, Sanctus bell, San Rafael, São Miguel, show-and-tell, sickle cell, silver bell, solar cell, tortoiseshell, undersell, villanelle, white blood cell, William Tell, zinfandel