plebeian
EnglishEdit
Alternative formsEdit
EtymologyEdit
From Latin plēbēius (“a commoner; common”) + -an (“forming adjectives”), from Latin plēbēs + -ius (“forming adjectives”), possibly under the influence of Middle French plebeyen, plebein, plebien (“a commoner”) and plebeien (“concerning the common people”). Cf. Medieval Latin plēbēiānus (“a commoner”), from plēbēius + -ānus.
PronunciationEdit
NounEdit
plebeian (plural plebeians)
- (historical, Ancient Rome) A member of the plebs, the common citizens of ancient Rome.
- A commoner, particularly (derogatory) a low, vulgar person.
- c. 1550, Robert Wedderburn, The Complaynt of Scotlande..., Ch. xv, p. 102:
- 1748. David Hume. Enquiries concerning the human understanding and concerning the principles of moral. London: Oxford University Press, 1973. § 3.
- The feelings of our heart, the agitation of our passions, the vehemence of our affections, dissipate all its conclusions, and reduce the profound philosopher to a mere plebeian.
Derived termsEdit
Related termsEdit
TranslationsEdit
one of the common people of ancient Rome
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AdjectiveEdit
plebeian (comparative more plebeian, superlative most plebeian)
- (historical) Of or concerning the plebs, the common citizens of ancient Rome.
- 1566, William Painter, The Palace of Pleasure Beautified, Vol. I, Ch. iv, fol. 9 verso:
- To what purpose be the plebeian Magistrates ordeined?
- 1566, William Painter, The Palace of Pleasure Beautified, Vol. I, Ch. iv, fol. 9 verso:
- Of or concerning the common people.
- 1602, William Watson, A Decacordon of Ten Quodlibeticall Questions, p. 301:
- ...priuate person or plebian multitude...
- 1602, William Watson, A Decacordon of Ten Quodlibeticall Questions, p. 301:
- Common, particularly (derogatory) vulgar, crude, coarse, uncultured.
- 1615, Robert Armin, The Valiant Welshman, Vol. i, Ch. i, sig. B:
- For to plebeyan wits, it is as good,
As to be silent, as not vnderstood.
- For to plebeyan wits, it is as good,
- 1953, Arthur Hamilton (lyrics and music), “Cry Me a River”:
- […] told me love was too plebeian / told me you were through with me
- 2016 September 8, Andrew Cunningham, “The $10,000 golden Apple Watch is no more”, in Arstechnica[1]:
- Completely absent was any mention of the Apple Watch Edition branding, which Apple used last year to launch a pair of $10,000-and-up Apple Watches that worked the same way as the cheap ones but were made out of actual gold instead of workaday, plebeian metals.
- 1615, Robert Armin, The Valiant Welshman, Vol. i, Ch. i, sig. B:
SynonymsEdit
AntonymsEdit
- (of or pertaining to the common people): noble, aristocratic
Derived termsEdit
TranslationsEdit
of or pertaining to the common people
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Further readingEdit
- plebeian in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
- “plebeian, n. and adj.”, in OED Online
, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, September 2006.
RomanianEdit
EtymologyEdit
AdjectiveEdit
plebeian m or n (feminine singular plebeiană, masculine plural plebeieni, feminine and neuter plural plebeiene)
DeclensionEdit
Declension of plebeian
| singular | plural | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| masculine | neuter | feminine | masculine | neuter | feminine | ||
| nominative/ accusative |
indefinite | plebeian | plebeiană | plebeieni | plebeiene | ||
| definite | plebeianul | plebeiana | plebeienii | plebeienele | |||
| genitive/ dative |
indefinite | plebeian | plebeiene | plebeieni | plebeiene | ||
| definite | plebeianului | plebeienei | plebeienilor | plebeienelor | |||