Meaning & use
plebe
Last updated
A first-year student at a military or naval academy, especially West Point or Annapolis.
See it in a sentence
As a plebe, she had to memorize the entire chain of command before the first week ended.
The upperclassmen expected the plebes to keep their uniforms spotless at all times.
A note on using this word
Specific to U.S. military academies; a broader use meaning 'a common person' (from Latin plebs) is older and less common today.
Words with a similar meaning
freshmancadet
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
upperclassman
Another way to use it
2. noun
A member of the common people, as opposed to the aristocracy (historical/literary use).
The senator claimed to speak for the plebes, not the patricians.
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