peasant
PEH-zuhnt
Peasant (noun) means Historically, a small farmer or agricultural laborer, especially one with a low social and economic status. Example: “Medieval peasants worked the lord's land in exchange for protection.”
noun
1
Historically, a small farmer or agricultural laborer, especially one with a low social and economic status.
"Medieval peasants worked the lord's land in exchange for protection."
"In the village, every peasant paid part of the harvest to the local landowner."
"The painting shows a peasant carrying hay across a muddy field."
2
Informal and often insulting: an unsophisticated or uncultured person.
""Eating pizza with a fork? You absolute peasant," he joked."
"He called his brother a peasant for putting ketchup on a fancy steak."
"Don't be such a peasant, try the sushi before you say you hate it."
How to use peasant
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishHistorically a poor rural farmworker; today often used jokingly or rudely to call someone unrefined.
When to use it
The modern casual use ("you peasant") is playful or mocking, not a neutral historical term.
Easily confused with
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Word forms
- Plural
- peasants
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Medieval _____ worked the lord's land in exchange for protection.
Etymology
From Old French païsant ("countryman"), from païs ("country, region"), ultimately from Latin pāgus ("rural district") — the same root as "pagan".
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for peasant
See all rhymes for peasant →Frequently asked questions
What does “peasant” mean?
The word “peasant” means historically, a small farmer or agricultural laborer, especially one with a low social and economic status. In plain terms, historically a poor rural farmworker; today often used jokingly or rudely to call someone unrefined.
How do you pronounce “peasant”?
“Peasant” is pronounced PEH-zuhnt (/ˈpɛzənt/ in IPA).
How do you use “peasant” in a sentence?
Here is “peasant” used in a sentence: “Medieval peasants worked the lord's land in exchange for protection.”
What part of speech is “peasant”?
“Peasant” is a noun.
Where does the word “peasant” come from?
The word “peasant” comes from Latin. From Old French païsant ("countryman"), from païs ("country, region"), ultimately from Latin pāgus ("rural district") — the same root as "pagan".
Is “peasant” a common word?
“Peasant” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the C1 level.
How many meanings does “peasant” have?
“Peasant” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: historically, a small farmer or agricultural laborer, especially one with a low social and economic status.
Is "peasant" considered an offensive word today?
It depends on context. Used historically to describe a small farmer or agricultural laborer of low social status, peasant is neutral, but used informally about a modern person to mean unsophisticated or uncultured, it functions as an insult.
What is the difference between a peasant and a farmer?
Farmer is a general term for anyone who works the land, in any era. Peasant specifically refers, historically, to a farmer or laborer with low social and economic standing.
Why is "peasant" sometimes used as an insult?
Because the historical sense of the word carries connotations of low status and poverty, it gets used informally and dismissively to call someone unsophisticated or uncultured. This modern insulting use is distinct from its neutral historical meaning.
