plebs

American  

[plebz] / plɛbz /

noun

(used with a plural verb)

1. (in ancient Rome) the common people, as contrasted with the patricians and later with the senatorial nobility or the equestrian order.

2. the common people; the populace.

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plebs British  

/ plɛbz /

noun

1. (functioning as plural) the common people; the masses

2. (functioning as singular or plural) common people of ancient Rome Compare patrician

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Etymology

Origin of plebs

First recorded in 1640–50, plebs is from the Latin word plēbs, plēbēs

Example Sentences

I’m continually assaulted by images of the Kardashians, the ultimate hot-mom clan, who’ve set the bar for the rest of us plebs, showing off their sculpted figures and eerily frozen faces.

From The Wall Street Journal

Somewhere outside this room is the real world, where finery and foppishness won’t save these characters from an uprising of the plebs.

From New York Times

And he asked when the prime minister would apologise for having "one rule for him and his chums and another for the rest of us plebs".

From BBC

Reader Tyler Hogan responded with a really sharp comment, which he gave me permission to share here: This goes further than “managerial class wants to remind plebs who’s in power.”

From The Verge

Another said, “It’s one rule for them and another for us plebs!”

From Washington Post

Related Words

• proletariat
• working class