A poor farmer or agricultural laborer of low social status, especially in medieval or traditional societies.
From Old French paisent meaning 'country dweller,' derived from pais (country) from Latin pagus (district, village). The term originally was neutral but acquired negative connotations during the medieval period as class distinctions hardened.
The word 'peasant' shares its Latin root pagus with 'pagan,' as both rural dwellers and non-Christians were seen as outside the urban, Christianized mainstream. Today, calling someone a peasant is considered insulting, but historically it simply meant someone who worked the land and formed the backbone of agricultural societies.
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