plebeians

plebeians — noun

1. in ancient Rome, a person who belonged to the ordinary class of citizens rather

1.nounC1
Definition

in ancient Rome, a person who belonged to the ordinary class of citizens rather than the small group of wealthy and powerful families known as the patricians.

Example

Under the old Roman laws, plebeians were not allowed to marry into patrician families.

domain: ancient Roman social class system

The plebeians elected their own officials, called tribunes, to protect their rights against patrician power.

plebeians + elected + tribunes (historical collocation)

Common collocations
  • plebeians and patricians
  • the plebeians elected
  • plebeians demanded
Synonyms
  • plebs

    shorter, more technical Latin term for the same Roman class; often used by historians

  • commoners

    general term not limited to Rome; less historically specific

Antonyms
  • patricians

    the wealthy noble class in ancient Rome that held most political power

Grammar Patterns

plebeians + plural verb

Usage Note

Usually found in its plural form when referring to the social class as a whole. The singular 'plebeian' describes one individual member.

Common Mistakes

The plebeians in ancient Greece had few rights.
The plebeians in ancient Rome had few rights.
Plebeians were a Roman social class, not Greek.

2. ordinary people who are not part of a wealthy, powerful, or aristocratic social

2.nounB2
Definition

ordinary people who are not part of a wealthy, powerful, or aristocratic social group.

Example

The writer was admired by aristocrats and plebeians for his stories about everyday life.

contrast: aristocrats and plebeians

In the small coastal town, the wealthiest merchants treated the local plebeians with open disrespect.

Common collocations
  • plebeians and aristocrats
  • plebeians suffered
  • plebeians gathered
Synonyms
  • commoners

    more neutral and widely used for non-noble classes across different historical periods

  • the masses

    suggests a large, undifferentiated group; often used in political contexts

  • the common people

    a straightforward phrase with the same meaning, suitable for everyday English

Antonyms
  • aristocrats

    people of the highest social class with inherited titles

  • nobility

    the class of people who hold titles and land by birth or royal grant

Grammar Patterns

plebeians + plural verb

Usage Note

This sense is literary or formal in modern English. In everyday conversation, 'ordinary people' or 'the common people' sounds more natural.

Common Mistakes

The plebeians in my neighbourhood are friendly.
The ordinary people in my neighbourhood are friendly.
'Plebeians' sounds old-fashioned or literary for describing modern life.

plebeians — adjective

Word family

  • plebeian
    nounC1
  • plebeian
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

'Plebeians' and 'commoners' both refer to ordinary people outside the upper class, but 'commoners' is more neutral and widely applicable across different societies and time periods. 'The masses' suggests a large, undifferentiated group and is often used in political or sociological contexts, sometimes with a tone of condescension. 'The plebs' is a shorter, informal shortening of 'plebeians' that can sound either academic (referring to ancient Rome) or dismissive in modern use. 'Proletariat' carries Marxist connotations, referring specifically to wage-earning industrial workers under capitalism. In everyday writing, 'commoners' or 'ordinary people' are the safest choices; 'plebeians' adds a literary or historical flavour when describing rigid class divisions.

commoners ↗the masses ↗the plebsproletariat

Common collocations

Nouns

  • plebeians (as subject)
  • plebeian origins
  • plebeian tastes
  • plebeian manners

Phrases

  • aristocrats and plebeians
  • patricians and plebeians
  • nobility and plebeians

Prepositions

  • among plebeians
  • between plebeians and (patricians/aristocrats/nobility)

Etymology

LatinEnglish

From Latin 'plebeius' meaning 'belonging to the plebs' (the common people of ancient Rome), combined with the English noun suffix '-ian'. The word first appeared in English in the 1500s, initially referring strictly to the Roman social class, and later broadened to mean ordinary people in any society.

First known use

1533

1533, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Adjective