/ ˈpeznt; NAmE / noun
1.
(especially in the past, or in poorer countries) a farmer who owns or rents a small piece of land :
peasant farmers
2.
( informal , disapproving ) a person who is rude, behaves badly, or has little education
SYN lout
••
WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English : from Old French paisent country dweller, from pais country, based on Latin pagus country district.