Meaning

(historical, usually in the plural) A plebeian, a member of the lower class of Roman citizens..

Definitions by Sense

1. (historical, usually in the plural) A plebeian, a member of the lower class of Roman citizens.
2. (historical, obsolete) The plebs, the plebeian class.
3. (obsolete) The similar lower class of any area.
4. (US, military, slang) A freshman cadet at a military academy.

Example Sentences

Another the like was among the Romanes of Patricij & plebes, thone ſtriuing with thother a long time, the patricij many yeares excluding the plebes from bearing rule, vntill at laſt all magiſtrates were made cõmon [common] betweene thẽ [them]: […]

All other roomes were free for the plebe or multitude.

My drill master, a young stripling, told me I was not so ‘gross’ as most other pleibs, the name of all new cadets.

"But is a plebe forbidden to stroll here?" "If a plebe did have the brass to try it," replied Anstey slowly, "I reckon he would have to fight the whole yearling class in turn."

Plebes spend their first summer at Cadet Basic Training — Beast Barracks — where they get soldierized.

“You went to The Citadel?” her mother chimed in. “I’ve heard so many great things about that institution. Did you go through a plebe year?” I told her I did and that we called it the knob year because freshman cadets had to shave their heads bald to resemble the butt end of a door knob and keep it that way for an entire ten months while going through the process of being broken down, only to be built back up.

Word Forms

• plebes

Synonyms for plebe

Related Words

When Should You Use Plebe?

Use plebe when its meaning, tone and grammar fit the full sentence. A synonym is not always a direct replacement.

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