peasant

American  

[pez-uhnt] / ˈpɛz ənt /

noun

• peasants
  plural

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

Derived Forms

• peasantlike
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• peasants
  plural

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 ( see -ing ³)

Explanation

If you enjoy reading tales set in the Middle Ages, you’ve probably encountered your fair share of knights, dragons, and peasants, or residents of the countryside. During the Middle Ages in Europe, most members of the population were peasants who lived a meager existence, working farmland that was owned by wealthy noblemen. Peasant is still used sometimes today to describe a relatively poor person who works as a farm laborer. Peasant can also be used to mean “an unsophisticated and ill-mannered person,” so when using this word, be sure your intended meaning is clear.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

peasant peasants

A forgotten vegetable once viewed as peasant or livestock food is enjoying an unlikely comeback in Somerset as a festival in its honour takes place this weekend.

From BBC ● Sep. 18, 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

The tighter scope and folksy approach — from a score with more spare acoustic guitar than sweeping orchestral numbers and an abundance of drab peasant rags over plush regal garb — is refreshing, at first.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 16, 2026

“It’s like reading an old English novel when you’re the peasant, and you’re not recognized.”

From Salon ● Jan. 14, 2026

Those accused of being witches were usually poor peasant women, often widows.

From "An Indigenous People’s History of the United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

A teenager draws his slingshot, while fighters holding prayer beads take control of a Soviet tank, and peasants clutching pitchforks face Soviet soldiers.

From Barron's ● Jan. 22, 2026

The late French queen is best known for her supposedly callous, clueless, privileged suggestion that if the peasants couldn’t get enough bread, they should eat cake instead.

From MarketWatch ● Jan. 2, 2026

When the Song dynasty took over China in the late 10th century, the feudal system that gave aristocrats control of land and peasants in return for military service was breaking down.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 29, 2025

But there are significant differences between then and now: Under the feudal system, the lord had, in principle, certain obligations to peasants in addition to his right to command them.

From Salon ● Jun. 22, 2025

He told us about an hacendado, a large landowner, who used his company store to keep his father and other peasants in a state of endless debt.

From "Breaking Through" by Francisco Jiménez