sans-culotte

[sanz-kyoo-lot, -koo-, sahn-ky-lawt]

noun

plural

sans-culottes 

1. (in the French Revolution) a revolutionary of the poorer class: originally a term of contempt applied by the aristocrats but later adopted as a popular name by the revolutionaries.

2. any extreme republican or revolutionary.

sans-culotte

/ ˌsænzkjʊˈlɒt, sɑ̃kylɔt /

noun

1. 1. (originally) a revolutionary of the poorer class

   2. (later) any revolutionary, esp one having extreme republican sympathies

2. any revolutionary extremist

Other Word Forms

• sans-culottist noun
• sans-culottism noun
• sans-culottic adjective
• sans-culottish adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of sans-culotte¹

1780–90; < French: literally, without knee breeches

Word History and Origins

Origin of sans-culotte¹

C18: from French, literally: without knee breeches, because the revolutionaries wore pantaloons or trousers rather than knee breeches