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Synonyms

plebe

American  
[pleeb] / plib /

noun

  1. Also (at the U.S. Military and Naval academies) a member of the freshman class.

  2. Obsolete. plebeian.

plebe British  
/ pliːb /

noun

  1. informal a member of the lowest class at the US Naval Academy or Military Academy; freshman

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of plebe

First recorded in 1605–15; short for plebeian

Vocabulary lists containing plebe

Selection Vocabulary 1, Unit 6

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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.

“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’s one of those sci-fi characters whose normal Earthman name distinguishes him as a plebe among patricians.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 17, 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

They treated the incoming freshmen the same way they had been treated during their plebe year.

From Washington Times • Aug. 17, 2023

We were among the few still at the school from our plebe class.

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.