peon

¹

[pee-uhn, pee-on]

noun

1. (in Spanish America) a farm worker or unskilled laborer; day laborer.

2. (formerly, especially in Mexico) a person held in servitude to work off debts or other obligations.

3. any person of low social status, especially one who does work regarded as menial or unskilled; drudge.

peon

²

[pee-uhn, pee-on]

noun

1. a messenger, attendant, or orderly.

2. a foot soldier or police officer.

peon

¹

/ ˈpiːɒn, ˈpiːən /

noun

1. a Spanish-American farm labourer or unskilled worker

2. (formerly in Spanish America) a debtor compelled to work off his debts

3. any very poor person

peon

²

/ ˈpiːɒn, pjuːn, ˈpiːən /

noun

1. a messenger or attendant, esp in an office

2. a native policeman

3. a foot soldier

Word History and Origins

Origin of peon¹

1820–30; < Spanish peón peasant, day laborer < Vulgar Latin *pedōn- (stem of *pedō ) walker (whence Medieval Latin pedōnēs infantry, Old French peon pawn ² ), derivative of Latin ped- (stem of pēs ) foot

Origin of peon²

1600–10; < Portuguese peão, French pion foot soldier, pedestrian, day laborer. See peon ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of peon¹

C19: from Spanish peón peasant, from Medieval Latin pedō man who goes on foot, from Latin pēs foot; compare Old French paon _pawn ²

Origin of peon²

C17: from Portuguese peão orderly; see _peon ¹

Related Words

• drudge 
• hireling 

When To Use

What does peon mean?

A peon is a person of low social status, especially one who does unskilled work and is poorly treated.Peon was once used in a more specific way to refer to farmworkers and other unskilled laborers in Mexico and parts of the United States.Example: People are going to keep quitting if management keeps treating them like peons.