# peasantry

/ˈpɛzəntɹi/ (US) · /pˈɛzəntɹˌi/ (UK) · CEFR C2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/peasantry
Updated: 2026-05-31

## Definition

the social class of people who work on farms and live in the countryside. It is an old word for the group of people who were not rich or noble.

For teachers: the social class of rural workers, particularly those who own or work small plots of land. Often used in historical contexts to describe the lower orders of society before the industrial revolution.

## Examples

- The peasantry lived in small wooden houses near the fields.
- Historians study how the peasantry reacted to the introduction of new farming technologies in the eighteenth century.
- The transition from a feudal system to a market economy fundamentally altered the status of the peasantry, shifting their primary allegiance from local lords to the broader national state.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.