noun
posse
POS-ee
noun
1
A group of people, especially one gathered to help enforce the law.
"The sheriff formed a posse to track down the outlaws."
2
Informally, a group of friends or associates.
"She showed up to the party with her whole posse."
How to Use Posse
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA group assembled for a purpose — historically to help law enforcement, now often just a friend group.
When to use it
The "friend group" sense is informal.
Common pairings
form a posse
roll with your posse
Word Forms
posses plural
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “posse”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The sheriff formed a _____ to track down the outlaws.
Etymology
Shortened from Latin posse comitatus, "the force of the county."