A posse is a group of people who come together for a specific purpose, usually to help with something important or challenging.

Historically, a posse was a group of citizens a sheriff would gather to help chase down criminals or maintain order. In old Western towns, if an outlaw robbed a bank and fled into the hills, the sheriff might round up a posse of townspeople to help track the criminal down.

Today, people use posse more casually to mean a close group of friends who stick together. You might hear someone say “my posse” when talking about their regular friend group. A student might arrive at the school dance with their whole posse, meaning all their friends came together.

The key idea in both meanings is the same: a posse is people banding together, whether for something serious like upholding the law or something fun like hanging out on a Saturday afternoon. The word captures that sense of strength and purpose that comes from having others alongside you.