plebeian

1 of 2

noun

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

plebeian

2 of 2

adjective

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

Synonyms of plebeian

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Adjective

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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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
How could the bookseller trust two random plebeians off the street? — Literary Hub, 16 Dec. 2025 So much for plebeians like myself, who tended to plants at a local nursery for minimum wage at 17. — Chris Branch, New York Times, 29 May 2025
Adjective
Linen and cotton, cooling garments, were too plebeian; the people posed nobly for street-style social-media accounts in leather jackets and low-slung jorts. — Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 27 June 2026 The other was the much more plebeian Chevrolet Bolt, which was cheaper but nowhere near as luxurious, nor as enjoyable to drive. — Ars Technica, 30 Aug. 2024 See All Example Sentences for plebeian

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

Rhymes for plebeian

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Browse Nearby Words

plebe
plebeian
plebeianism
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Cite this Entry

“Plebeian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plebeian. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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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

More from Merriam-Webster on plebeian

Nglish: Translation of plebeian for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about plebeian

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