Peas″ant (?), n. [OF. païsant (the i being perh. due to confusion with the p. pr. of verbs), païsan, F. paysan, fr. OF. & F. pays country, fr. L. pagus the country. See Pagan.] A countryman; a rustic; especially, one of the lowest class of tillers of the soil in European countries.
Syn. — Countryman; rustic; swain; hind.