Today's Word

Yesterday's Word

Archives

FAQ

A.Word.A.Day--plebeian

plebeian (ple-BEE-uhn) adjective

1. Of or relating to the common people of ancient Rome: a plebeian magistrate.

2. Of, belonging to, or characteristic of commoners.

3. Unrefined or coarse in nature or manner; common or vulgar: plebeian tastes.

plebeian noun

1. One of the common people of ancient Rome.

2. A member of the lower classes.

3. A vulgar or coarse person.

[From Latin plebius, from plebs, pleb-, the common people.]

"AMADEUS abounds with skillfully played supporting roles - Roy Dotrice as the austere, forbidding Leopold Mozart, Jeffrey Jones as the amusingly vapid Emperor Joseph II, a man of plebeian tastes whose judgments nevertheless sway public opinion - and each frame is filled with colorful faces which add to the flavor and atmosphere of the scenes." AMADEUS, Magill's Survey of Cinema, 15 Jun 1995.

This week's theme: words that violate the "i before e" rule.

X-Bonus