n.
Pronunciation: ' pe-z ə nt
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English paissaunt, from Anglo-French paisant, pesaunt, from pais, paiis country, from Late Latin pagensis inhabitant of a district, from Latin pagus district; akin to Latin pangere to fix ― more at PACT
Date: 15th century
1 : a member of a European class of persons tilling the soil as small landowners or as laborers also : a member of a similar class elsewhere
2 : a usually uneducated person of low social status