English · Slang Attested

good people

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Sense 1

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

A good person.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Một người tốt

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

"Oh no, I don't mean him," said Bert, "he's good people. He's on our side, not the system's."

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

the name given by country folk, evidently from fear of offending by any less decided term, to fairies, brownies, pixies, &c. Mothers often say to querulous children, "I wish the GOOD PEOPLE would run away with you."

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

tên gọi do người dân nông thôn sử dụng để chỉ các sinh vật siêu nhiên

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)

Where it’s used: Origin British & Irish English

Sources & notes

Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.

Topics: Historical slang (1800s)

Common questions

What does “good people” mean?

A good person.

Is “good people” formal or informal?

good people is generally slang.