peon
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pe·on
(pē′ŏn′, pē′ən)n.
1. A person who does menial or repetitive tasks and has a low rank in an organization or society.
2.
a. An unskilled laborer or farm worker of Latin America or the southwest United States.
b. Such a worker bound in servitude to a landlord creditor.
3. (also pyo͞on) In India and other parts of South and Southeast Asia, a person of menial position, especially a messenger, servant, or foot soldier.
[Spanish peón, day laborer, from Medieval Latin pedō, pedōn-, foot soldier; see pioneer. Sense 3, from Portuguese peão and French pion, foot soldier, both ultimately from Medieval Latin pedō.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
peon
(ˈpiːən; ˈpiːɒn)n
1. a Spanish-American farm labourer or unskilled worker
2. (Historical Terms) (formerly in Spanish America) a debtor compelled to work off his debts
3. any very poor person
[C19: from Spanish peón peasant, from Medieval Latin pedō man who goes on foot, from Latin pēs foot; compare Old French paon pawn2]
peon
(pjuːn; ˈpiːən; ˈpiːɒn)(in India, Sri Lanka, etc, esp formerly) n
1. (Commerce) a messenger or attendant, esp in an office
2. (Law) a native policeman
3. (Military) a foot soldier
[C17: from Portuguese peão orderly; see peon1]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
pe•on1
(ˈpi ən, ˈpi ɒn)n.
1. (in Spanish America) a farm worker or unskilled laborer.
2. (formerly, esp. in Mexico) a person held in servitude to work off debts or other obligations.
3. any person of low social status, esp. one who does menial or unskilled work; drudge.
[1820–30; < Sp peón peasant, day laborer < Vulgar Latin *pedōnem, acc. of *pedō walker, derivative of Latin ped- (s. of pēs) foot]
pe•on2
(ˈpi ən, ˈpi ɒn, ˈpyun)n. (in S and SE Asia)
1. an office assistant.
2. (esp. under British rule) a messenger, attendant, or orderly.
[1600–10; < Portuguese peão, French pion foot soldier, pedestrian, day laborer]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
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| Noun | 1. |  peon - a laborer who is obliged to do menial worklaborer, labourer, manual laborer, jack - someone who works with their hands; someone engaged in manual labor |
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