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- DictionaryPle·be·ian/pləˈbēən/
noun
- 1. (in ancient Rome) a commoner.
adjective
- 1. of or belonging to the commoners of ancient Rome.
1. : of or relating to plebeians. 2. : crude or coarse in manner or style : common. plebeianly adverb. Synonyms. Adjective. baseborn. common. humble. ignoble.
belonging or pertaining to the common people. of, relating to, or belonging to the ancient Roman plebs. common, commonplace, or vulgar: a plebeian joke. Synonyms: popular, ordinary, low, lowbrow.
belonging to a low social class: He used to make fun of what he called her "plebeian origins ". He retained a plebeian taste in food and drink. Synonyms. common. lower class old-fashioned. vulgar disapproving. SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases. Class & class-consciousness in general. anti-bourgeois. anti-snob. arriviste. bougie.
May 15, 2024 · Plebeian, member of the general citizenry in ancient Rome as opposed to the privileged patrician class. The distinction was probably originally based on the wealth and influence of certain families who organized themselves into patrician clans under the early republic, during the 5th and 4th centuries BCE.
When you hear the word plebeian used to describe a form of art or taste, it means that while something is liked by a lot of people, it may not be of the highest quality or taste. Both soap operas and reality television shows have been described as plebeian forms of entertainment.
belonging to a low social class: He used to make fun of what he called her "plebeian origins ." He retained a plebeian taste in food and drink. Synonyms. common. lower class old-fashioned. vulgar disapproving. SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases. Class & class-consciousness in general.
ple·be·ian. (plĭ-bē′ən) adj. 1. Of or relating to the common people of ancient Rome: a plebeian magistrate. 2. Of, belonging to, or characteristic of commoners. 3. Unrefined or coarse in nature or manner; common or vulgar: plebeian tastes.
If someone describes something as plebeian, they think that it is unsophisticated and connected with or typical of people from a low social class.
There are five meanings listed in OED's entry for the word plebeian, two of which are considered derogatory. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.
plebeian. a person from a lower social class (used originally in ancient Rome) compare patrician. Definition of plebeian noun in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.
