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peon
1[pee-uhn, pee-on]
noun
(in Spanish America) a farm worker or unskilled laborer; day laborer.
(formerly, especially in Mexico) a person held in servitude to work off debts or other obligations.
any person of low social status, especially one who does work regarded as menial or unskilled; drudge.
peon
2[pee-uhn, pee-on]
noun
a messenger, attendant, or orderly.
a foot soldier or police officer.
peon
1/ ˈpiːɒn, ˈpiːən /
noun
a Spanish-American farm labourer or unskilled worker
(formerly in Spanish America) a debtor compelled to work off his debts
any very poor person
peon
2/ ˈpiːɒn, pjuːn, ˈpiːən /
noun
a messenger or attendant, esp in an office
a native policeman
a foot soldier
51Թ History and Origins
51Թ History and Origins
Origin of peon1
Origin of peon2
Example Sentences
During the same press conference in Dhaka, she said she had taken action against a household assistant – or peon - after he allegedly amassed $34 million.
Not afraid but brave, not weak but empowered, not peons but partners.
“He was the highest-paid actor in the world. I was a peon.”
The message couldn't be clearer: there's a strict hierarchy here, and you peons in the middle are at the absolute bottom.
It's less clear whether that translates into sympathy for the peons who raided the Capitol at Trump's bidding.
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When To Use
A peon is a person of low social status, especially one who does unskilled work and is poorly treated.Peon was once used in a more specific way to refer to farmworkers and other unskilled laborers in Mexico and parts of the United States.Example: People are going to keep quitting if management keeps treating them like peons.
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