plebeian

1 of 2

noun

ple·​be·​ian pli-ˈbē-ən How to pronounce plebeian (audio)
1
: a member of the Roman plebs
2
: one of the common people
plebeianism noun

plebeian

2 of 2

adjective

1
: of or relating to plebeians
2
: crude or coarse in manner or style : common
plebeianly adverb

Examples of plebeian in a Sentence

Adjective wondered what the people at the country club would think of his plebeian origins
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
For us plebeians, riding a ski resort gondola means adhering to a lengthy set of rules. Frederick Dreier, Outside Online, 24 Sep. 2024 Then there are normal dishes for plebeians not concerned with social-media fame, like chicken wings with spicy pineapple sauce, fiery papaya salad with long beans and an excellent green curry with eggplant as shiny-purple as an exotic beetle. Kate Bradshaw, The Mercury News, 10 June 2024
Adjective
Skeptics might shrug their shoulders at this plebeian fare. Sonia Rao, Washington Post, 21 Nov. 2023 View Photos These plebeian sedans don't exhibit the manic price inflation seen in much of the automotive market. Joey Capparella, Car and Driver, 4 Aug. 2023 See all Example Sentences for plebeian 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'plebeian.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Latin plēbēius "member of the Roman plebs" (noun derivative of plēbēius, adjective, "of or relating to the plebs") + -an entry 1 — more at plebeian entry 2

Adjective

Latin plēbēius "of or relating to the plebs" (from plēbēs plebs + -ius, adjective suffix of appurtenance) + -an entry 2

First Known Use

Noun

1533, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1566, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of plebeian was in 1533

Dictionary Entries Near plebeian

Cite this Entry

“Plebeian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plebeian. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

plebeian

noun
ple·​be·​ian
pli-ˈbē-(y)ən
1
: a member of the common people in ancient Rome
2
: one of the common people
plebeian adjective

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