A person is an individual human being. You are a person, your teacher is a person, the cashier at the grocery store is a person. Every person has their own thoughts, feelings, memories, and experiences that make them unique.

The word emphasizes individuality and humanity. When we say “she's a good person,” we're talking about someone's character and how they treat others. When we say “respect every person,” we mean that each human being deserves dignity and consideration, regardless of who they are.

In everyday conversation, person often sounds more respectful than casual words like “guy” or “someone.” You might say “a person I met at school” when telling a story, or “the person in charge” when asking who's responsible.

The plural of person can be either persons or people. We usually say people in casual conversation (“three people came to visit”), but persons appears in formal or legal contexts (“persons under age 12 must be accompanied by an adult”).

Sometimes person combines with other words to describe roles: a salesperson sells things, a spokesperson speaks on behalf of a group, and a chairperson leads a meeting or organization.