This week’s theme
Lesser-known counterparts of words

This week’s words
earwitness
diachronic
consanguinity
plebeian
allopatric

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A.Word.A.Day

PRONUNCIATION:

(pluh-BEE-uhn)

MEANING:

adjective:	1. Belonging to or relating to the common people.
	2. Relating to or characteristic of lower social classes.
	3. Common; vulgar.
noun:	1. A commoner.
	2. A member of the lower social class.

NOTES:

In ancient Rome, plebeians or plebs were commoners who held lower social and political status compared to patricians, who were of higher social rank.

ETYMOLOGY:

From Latin plebeius (of the common people), from plebs (common people). Earliest documented use: 1533.

USAGE:

“Why limit yourself to such plebeian gyrations as running, bicycling, and weightlifting when you have several billion dollars to burn? Larry Ellison, Oracle’s chairman, races his own yachts.”
Revenge of the Nerds; The Economist (London, UK); Aug 13, 2016.

See more usage examples of plebeian in Vocabulary.com’s dictionary.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY: