We can use persons or people in English to mean slightly different things.
“Persons” means “several individuals,” while “people” means “a group of humans.”
The slight difference in the meanings of these words comes from their Latin origins.
“Persons” comes from the Latin “persona,” meaning “mask,” or “character.” “Persona” evolved to mean “individual,” and that meaning is preserved in the English words “person” and “persons.”
“People” comes from the Latin “populus,” which means “population,” or “group of humans.” This is why the English “people” has its group-focused meaning.
QuillBot’s Grammar Checker can help you make sure you’re using persons or people correctly.