peasant

American  

[pez-uhnt] / ˈpɛz ənt /

noun

1. a member of a class of persons, as in Europe, Asia, and Latin America, who are small farmers or farm laborers of low social rank.

2. a coarse, unsophisticated, boorish, uneducated person of little financial means.

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of peasants or their traditions, way of life, crafts, etc.

2. of or designating a style of clothing modeled on the folk costumes of Western cultures, especially women's full-sleeved, round-necked blouses and long, full skirts.

peasant British  

/ ˈpɛzənt /

noun

1. 1. a member of a class of low social status that depends on either cottage industry or agricultural labour as a means of subsistence

   2. ( as modifier )

      peasant dress

2. informal a person who lives in the country; rustic

3. informal an uncouth or uncultured person

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peasant Cultural  

1. A farmer or agricultural worker of low status. The word is applied chiefly to agricultural workers in Asia, Europe, and South America, who generally adhere to traditional agricultural practices and have little social mobility or freedom.

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Other Word Forms

• peasantlike adjective

Etymology

Origin of peasant

1375–1425; late Middle English paissaunt < Anglo-French paisant, Old French païsant, earlier païsenc, equivalent to païs country (< Late Latin pāgēnsis, equivalent to Latin pāg ( us ) country district + -ēnsis -ensis ) + -enc < Germanic ( -ing ³ )

Example Sentences

The split widens when a labor strike becomes an armed revolt, with Jacir gamely tracking the hardening or shifting loyalties of both her peasant and well-to-do characters.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2026

Our guest this week was born of sturdy peasant stock, with a heavy-duty frame, four-wheel driveline, two-speed transfer case, 10-speed automatic, all-terrain tires and a big ole V8 engine.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 6, 2026

In long, meandering speeches laced with peasant folklore, Museveni often appeals for more time, likening himself to a farmer leaving a plantation just as it starts bearing fruit.

From Barron's • Jan. 12, 2026

“Chefs have purposefully made it feel unachievable. When you strip it back, it’s all from peasant cookery — people were cooking it on farms, around fires.”

From Salon • Oct. 18, 2025

On the first day of school, she had proudly told the class that she was the daughter of a poor peasant from Khost.

From "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini