Green’s Dictionary of Slang

peeps n.

[SE people]

1. (US, 20 C use teen) friends, people in general.

1833
1850190019502000
2023
[US]Albany Microscope (NY) 5 jan. n.p.: In Europe a fierce game is playing, / Kings and Peeps to their principles stick; / While the one are their honors displaying, / The other must try the odd trick.
[US]Life in Boston & N.Y. (Boston, MA) 13 Mat n.p.: We wish to show up a few of the peeps who attended the levee [...] They were a scaly set.
[US]Pittsburgh Courier (PA) 17 Jan. 7/8: Jive Dictionary. [...] Peeps — young girl friends.
[US]Chicago Daily Trib. 29 Dec. II 1/1: Teen talk: Add these yap-happy expressions to your slang vocabulary, both for laughs and color. Around the country, high schoolers are greeting each other with ‘Hi, peeps’ (short for ‘hello, people,’ of course).
[US] P. Munro Sl. U.
[US]Prince Paul ‘Prince Among Thieves’ 🎵 He’s good peeps. We like brothers.
[UK]Observer 10 Mar. 12: When I said to my peeps in Handsworth that I was going to be a computer programmer they all laughed at me.
[UK]G. Malkani Londonstani (2007) 28: Just ignore what peeps like Kavi n Davinder say.
[WI]Jamaica Star 18 May 🌐 Listen nuh, peeps, I know all the cute quotes.
B. Koeler ‘Be My Alibi’ in ThugLit Sept. [ebook] He's the boots-on-the-ground dude. The one who actually removes peeps from their homes.
[UK]A. Wheatle Crongton Knights 72: Nuff peeps saw it all too .
[Scot]A. Parks Bloody January 203: ‘How’s it going, my good peeps?’ he shouted.
[US]F. Bill Back to the Dirt 78: [T]elling Nathaniel them peeps needed to die, fuck capitalism.

2. (orig. US campus/black) parents, relatives, lit. or fig. family.

1991
20002010
2013
Palm Beach Post (FL) 26 Feb. 85/1: Peeps: parents.
[US]Eble Campus Sl. Mar. 6: peeps – group of family, friends.
[US]Ebonics Primer at www.dolemite.com 🌐 peeps Definition: parents, family. Example: My peeps had to bail my ass outda pen.
[US]W.D. Myers Autobiog. of My Dead Brother 62: [of fellow gang members] ‘The Counts are my peeps’.
[UK]A. Wheatle Dirty South 208: He’s bonafide and his peeps live in Leicester.
[UK]K. Koke ‘Fire in the Booth’ 🎵 This street life’s got these old peeps horrified.