Dictionary

plebeian en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /plɛbˈiːən/
• (US) audio
• /pliˈbiːən/

Etymology

From Latin plēbēius (“a commoner; common”) + -an (adjective-forming suffix), from Latin plēbēs + -ius (adjective-forming suffix), possibly under the influence of Middle French plebeyen, plebein, plebien (“a commoner”) and plebeien (“concerning the common people”). Cf. Medieval Latin plēbēiānus (“a commoner”), from plēbēius + -ānus.

Meanings

1. (historical) Of or concerning the plebs, the common citizens of ancient Rome.
   • To what purpose be the plebeian Magistrates ordeined? 1566, William Painter, The Palace of Pleasure Beautified, Vol. I, Ch. iv, fol. 9 verso
2. Of or concerning the common people.
   • ...priuate person or plebian multitude... 1602, William Watson, A Decacordon of Ten Quodlibeticall Questions, page 301:
3. Common, particularly (derogatory) vulgar, crude, coarse, uncultured.
   • For to plebeyan wits, it is as good, As to be silent, as not vnderstood. 1615, Robert Armin, The Valiant Welshman, Vol. i, Ch. i, sig. B
   • […] told me love was too plebeian / told me you were through with me 1953, Arthur Hamilton, “Cry Me a River”:
   • Completely absent was any mention of the Apple Watch Edition branding, which Apple used last year to launch a pair of $10,000-and-up Apple Watches that worked the same way as the cheap ones but were made out of actual gold instead of workaday, plebeian metals. 2016 September 8, Andrew Cunningham, “The $10,000 golden Apple Watch is no more”, in Arstechnica:

Forms

Antonyms

noble (antonym(s) of “of or pertaining to the common people”) · aristocratic (antonym(s) of “of or pertaining to the common people”)

Deriveds

plebeianize · plebeianness · plebeianly · plebeianization

Synonyms

pertaining to the common people · of

Translations (28)

hy ռամկական (of or pertaining to the common people) · bg плебейски (of or pertaining to the common people) · fa عامیانه (of or pertaining to the common people) · cs plebejský (of or pertaining to the common people) · nl volks (of or pertaining to the common people) · ms marhaen (of or pertaining to the common people) · fr plébéien (of or pertaining to the common people) · ja 下賎な (of or pertaining to the common people) · ja 庶民の (of or pertaining to the common people) · ja 賎しい (of or pertaining to the common people) · ca plebeu (of or pertaining to the common people) · es plebeyo (of or pertaining to the common people) · ru плебе́йский (of or pertaining to the common people) · hy պլեբեյական (of or pertaining to the common people) · pt plebeu (of or pertaining to the common people) · la plebeius (of or pertaining to the common people) · fi rahvaanomainen (of or pertaining to the common people) · de plebejisch (of or pertaining to the common people) · pl plebejski (of or pertaining to the common people) · it plebeo (of or pertaining to the common people) · sk plebejský (of or pertaining to the common people) · fa عوامانه (of or pertaining to the common people) · ja 平民の (of or pertaining to the common people) · nl plebejisch (of or pertaining to the common people) · es barriobajero (of or pertaining to the common people) · uk плебе́йський (of or pertaining to the common people) · sv plebejisk (of or pertaining to the common people) · nl vulgair (of or pertaining to the common people)

plebeian en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /plɛbˈiːən/
• (US) audio
• /pliˈbiːən/

Etymology

From Latin plēbēius (“a commoner; common”) + -an (adjective-forming suffix), from Latin plēbēs + -ius (adjective-forming suffix), possibly under the influence of Middle French plebeyen, plebein, plebien (“a commoner”) and plebeien (“concerning the common people”). Cf. Medieval Latin plēbēiānus (“a commoner”), from plēbēius + -ānus.

Meanings

1. (Ancient-Rome, historical) A member of the plebs, the common citizens of ancient Rome.
   • Na plebeane will tak þe dochter of ane patriciane but hir consent. [No plebeian will take the daughter of any patrician but her consent] 1533, John Bellenden translating Livy, History of Rome, Vol. II, Ch. iv, Sect. ii
   • The cognomen was first used in patrician families, who were distinguished from the plebeians by their three names. 1945, E[lizabeth] G[idley] Withycombe, “Introduction”, in The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page xiv:
2. A commoner, particularly (derogatory) a low, vulgar person.
   • There blude... vald hef na bettir cullour nor the blude of ane plebien or of ane mecanik craftis man. [Their blood... would have no better color nor the blood of any plebeian or of any mechanic craftsman] c. 1550, Robert Wedderburn, The Complaynt of Scotlande..., Ch. xv, p. 102
   • The feelings of our heart, the agitation of our passions, the vehemence of our affections, dissipate all its conclusions, and reduce the profound philosopher to a mere plebeian. 1748, David Hume, Enquiries concerning the human understanding and concerning the principles of moral., London: Oxford University Press, published 1973, § 3:

Forms

Antonyms

aristocrat · noble · patrician

Deriveds

pleb

Relateds

plebeianism · plebeity · plebeiance · plebeiate · plebe · plebs

Synonyms

commoner · peasant · nobody · commoner · plebe · pleb · villain

Translations (40)

cmn 庶民 (one of the common people of ancient Rome) · da plebejer (one of the common people of ancient Rome) · sh плебе́јац (one of the common people of ancient Rome) · ko 서민 (one of the common people of ancient Rome) · de Plebejer (one of the common people of ancient Rome) · sk plebejec (one of the common people of ancient Rome) · hy պլեբեյ (one of the common people of ancient Rome) · cs plebejec (one of the common people of ancient Rome) · el πληβείος (one of the common people of ancient Rome) · grc πληβεῖος (one of the common people of ancient Rome) · ru плебе́й (one of the common people of ancient Rome) · uk плебе́й (one of the common people of ancient Rome) · mi kāraroraro (one of the common people of ancient Rome) · be плебе́й (one of the common people of ancient Rome) · sl plebejec (one of the common people of ancient Rome) · id plebian (one of the common people of ancient Rome) · mk плебеец (one of the common people of ancient Rome) · bg плебе́й (one of the common people of ancient Rome) · hu plebejus (one of the common people of ancient Rome) · sh plebéjac (one of the common people of ancient Rome) · ko 평민 (one of the common people of ancient Rome) · mi tautauhea (one of the common people of ancient Rome) · cmn 平民 (one of the common people of ancient Rome) · ja 下下 (one of the common people of ancient Rome) · fr plébéien (one of the common people of ancient Rome) · fi plebeiji (one of the common people of ancient Rome) · mi tautauwhea (one of the common people of ancient Rome) · pt plebeu (one of the common people of ancient Rome) · or ପ୍ଲେବିଆନ (one of the common people of ancient Rome) · cs plebej (one of the common people of ancient Rome) · pl plebejusz (one of the common people of ancient Rome) · es plebeyo (one of the common people of ancient Rome) · ro plebeu (one of the common people of ancient Rome) · ca plebeu (one of the common people of ancient Rome) · la plēbēius (one of the common people of ancient Rome) · sv plebej (one of the common people of ancient Rome) · nl plebejer (one of the common people of ancient Rome) · it plebeo (one of the common people of ancient Rome) · ja 平民 (one of the common people of ancient Rome) · ja 庶民 (one of the common people of ancient Rome)