peon

英 ['piːən] 美 ['piən]
  • n. 日工;劳工;雇农;被强制劳役以还债的工人
  • n. (Peon)人名;(俄、葡)佩翁
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peon 苦工,苦力

来自西班牙语peon,苦工,苦力,来自拉丁语pedon,步行的人,步兵,来自ped,脚,词源同foot,pawn.引申词义步卒,走卒,干苦力的人。

peon (n.)
unskilled worker, 1826, from Mexican Spanish peon "agricultural laborer" (especially a debtor held in servitude by his creditor), from Spanish peon "day laborer," also "pedestrian," originally "foot soldier," from Medieval Latin pedonem "foot soldier" (see pawn (n.2)). The word entered British English earlier (c. 1600) in the sense "native constable, soldier, or messenger in India," via Portuguese peao "pedestrian, foot soldier, day laborer."