1
: a member of a European class of persons tilling the soil as small landowners or as laborers
This land was farmed by peasants for centuries.
also
: a member of a similar class elsewhere
2
: a usually uneducated person of low social status
They treated us like a bunch of peasants.
Examples of peasant in a Sentence
They treated us like a bunch of peasants.
Recent Examples on the Web
In it, Italian peasants Matteo and Natale discuss this same cosmic occurrence in the rustic Paduan dialect of the time.
—
Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 3 July 2025
The origins of this traditional outfit are hazy, but white smocks had been worn since the Middle Ages by Basque peasants, and they were popularized by one of the working-class peñas, or social clubs, after 1929.
—Tony Perrottet, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 June 2025
Pair this skirt with a peasant blouse or a simple tank top (less than $4!) to complete the boho ensemble.
—Jené Luciani Sena
May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 18 June 2025
There were three newspapers in Tampico at the time, but El Heraldo was the most important, a progressive trailblazer with a storied history of advocating for workers and peasants and providing much of the best coverage of the Mexican Revolution.
—Megan Greenwell, Rolling Stone, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for peasant
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Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 3 July 2025
The origins of this traditional outfit are hazy, but white smocks had been worn since the Middle Ages by Basque peasants, and they were popularized by one of the working-class peñas, or social clubs, after 1929.
—Tony Perrottet, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 June 2025
Pair this skirt with a peasant blouse or a simple tank top (less than $4!) to complete the boho ensemble.
—Jené Luciani Sena
May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 18 June 2025
There were three newspapers in Tampico at the time, but El Heraldo was the most important, a progressive trailblazer with a storied history of advocating for workers and peasants and providing much of the best coverage of the Mexican Revolution.
—Megan Greenwell, Rolling Stone, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for peasant
Cite this Entry
“Peasant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/peasant. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
peasant
noun
peas·ant
ˈpez-ᵊnt 
1
: a European small farmer or farm laborer
2
: a member of a similar agricultural class elsewhere
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