plebe
Americannoun
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Also (at the U.S. Military and Naval academies) a member of the freshman class.
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Obsolete. plebeian.
noun
Etymology
Origin of plebe
First recorded in 1605–15; short for plebeian
Vocabulary lists containing plebe
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“It was such an unbelievable feeling of joy and relief and just pure happiness that this plebe year was over,” he told me.
From Slate ● Jun. 24, 2026
“He was a very sharp plebe, a very intelligent young man,” said retired Navy officer Gregory Glaros, the company commander often quizzing Cooper at the academy.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 12, 2026
“He wanted to present himself as among ‘the best and the brightest,’ not some common plebe who’d held workaday jobs,” Garrow said of Obama’s first run for the presidency.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2024
Naval Academy are taking part in the annual Herndon Monument Climb on Wednesday, a ritual that marks the end of their plebe year and some say foreshadows career success.
From Seattle Times ● May 14, 2024
He was new to the job at Valley Forge, we were his first plebe class, and I was his first major challenge.
From "The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates" by Wes Moore
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
