[vil.lein] n [ME vilain, vilein--more at villain] (14c) 1: a free common villager or village peasant of any of the feudal classes lower in rank than the thane
2: a free peasant of a feudal class lower than a sokeman and higher than a cotter
3: an unfree peasant standing as the slave of a feudal lord but free in legal relations with respect to all others