A person, especially one from an earlier period of history, who is plebeian comes from a low social class.
In the 1790s Tom Paine taught plebeian radicals that mankind would live in harmonywere it not for the vested interest which princes, diplomats and soldiers had in promotingwars to enrich themselves.
2. adjective [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
If someone describes something as plebeian, they think that it is unsophisticated and connected with or typical of people from a low social class.
[formal, disapproval]
...a philosophy professor with a cockney accent and an alarmingly plebeian manner.
Synonyms: uncultivated, mean, low, base More Synonyms of plebeian
More Synonyms of plebeian
plebeian in British English
(pləˈbiːən)
adjective
1.
of, relating to, or characteristic of the common people, esp those of Rome
2.
lacking refinement; vulgar
plebeian tastes
noun
3.
one of the common people, esp one of the Roman plebs
4.
a person who is coarse or lacking in discernment
Derived forms
plebeianism (pleˈbeianˌism)
noun
Word origin
C16: from Latin plēbēius belonging to the people, from plēbs the common people of ancient Rome
plebeian in American English
(plɪˈbiən)
noun
1.
a member of the ancient Roman lower class
see also patrician
2.
one of the common people
3.
a vulgar, coarse person
adjective
4.
of or characteristic of the lower class in ancient Rome or of the common people inany country
5.
a.
vulgar, coarse, or common
b.
commonplace; ordinary
Derived forms
plebeianism (pleˈbeianˌism)
noun
plebeianly (pleˈbeianly)
adverb
Word origin
< L plebeius < plebs, plebs
Examples of 'plebeian' in a sentence
plebeian
Relief seized me as I realised that no one I knew would ever be found eating at such a plebeian place.
Howatch, Susan ABSOLUTE TRUTHS (2001)
Would five thousand be too plebeian an offer for a painting this size?
MacLeod, Charlotte SOMETHING IN THE WATER (2001)
He's a plebeian, opportunist owl, like many of our species in the town.
Hocke, Martin THE ANCIENT AND SOLITARY REIGN (2001)
Tess had thought the meatballs of lamb and ground beef were a good compromise between his plebeian tastes and her need for something exotic.
Laura Lippman IN A STRANGE CITY (2001)
1 (adjective)
Definition
of the lower social classes
a man who rose to greatness but never forgot his plebeian past
Synonyms
common
She might be a little common at times, but she was certainly not boring.
working-class
lower-class
proletarian
the issue of proletarian world solidarity
ignoble
They wanted to spare him the shame of an ignoble birth.
lowborn
blue-singlet (Australian, slang)
Opposites
upper-class
,
aristocratic
,
high-class
,
patrician
,
highborn
2 (adjective)
Definition
unrefined
He had a cockney accent and an alarmingly plebeian manner.
Synonyms
uncultivated
mean
southern opportunists of mean origins
low
That was a really low trick.
base
coarse
They don't know how to behave, and are coarse and insulting.
vulgar
He could be really vulgar, but he never swore in front of his parents.
unrefined
an unrefined boor
non-U (British, informal)
Opposites
polished
,
refined
,
cultivated
,
well-bred
(noun)
Definition
one of the common people, usually of ancient Rome
the history of class struggles, plebeians against patricians
Synonyms
commoner
peasant
proletarian
The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains.
common man
man in the street
pleb
prole (derogatory, slang, mainly British)
Additional synonyms
in the sense of base
Synonyms
inferior,
mean,
low,
poor,
sorry,
miserable,
worthless,
lowly,
paltry,
pitiful,
grovelling,
menial,
subservient,
downtrodden,
wretched,
servile,
slavish
in the sense of coarse
Definition
unrefined or indecent
They don't know how to behave, and are coarse and insulting.
Synonyms
loutish,
rough,
brutish,
boorish,
uncivil
in the sense of ignoble
Definition
of low birth or origins
They wanted to spare him the shame of an ignoble birth.
Synonyms
lowly,
mean,
low,
base,
common,
peasant,
vulgar,
plebeian,
humble,
lowborn (rare),
baseborn (archaic)
Nearby words of
plebeian
pleasurable
pleasure
pleat
plebeian
plebiscite
pledge
plenary
Synonyms of 'plebeian'
plebeian
Explore 'plebeian' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of low
Definition
unworthy or contemptible
That was a really low trick.
Synonyms
contemptible,
mean,
base,
nasty,
cowardly,
degraded,
vulgar,
vile,
sordid,
abject,
unworthy,
despicable,
depraved,
menial,
reprehensible,
dastardly (old-fashioned),
scurvy (old-fashioned),
servile,
unprincipled,
dishonourable,
ignoble
in the sense of mean
southern opportunists of mean origins
Synonyms
lowly,
low,
common,
ordinary,
modest,
base,
obscure,
humble,
inferior,
vulgar,
menial,
proletarian,
undistinguished,
servile,
ignoble,
plebeian,
lowborn,
baseborn (archaic)
in the sense of proletarian
Definition
of the proletariat
the issue of proletarian world solidarity
Synonyms
working-class,
common,
cloth-cap (informal),
plebeian,
blue-singlet (Australian, slang)
in the sense of proletarian
Definition
a member of the proletariat
The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains.
Synonyms
worker,
commoner,
Joe Bloggs (British, informal),
pleb,
plebeian,
prole (derogatory, slang, British)
in the sense of unrefined
an unrefined boor
Synonyms
coarse,
unsophisticated,
uncultured,
rude,
vulgar,
boorish,
inelegant
in the sense of vulgar
Definition
showing lack of good taste, decency, or refinement
He could be really vulgar, but he never swore in front of his parents.