different between peon vs peonage

English

Etymology

From a combination of Middle French pion, peon and Spanish peón, both from Late Latin ped?, ped?nem (“footsoldier”). Doublet of pawn.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?pi?.?n/, /pe???n/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?pi.?n/, /?pe?.?n/
• (especially sense 3, obsolete) IPA^(key): /p??u?n/, /pju?n/

Noun

peon (plural peons)

1. A lowly person; a peasant or serf; a labourer who is obliged to do menial work.
2. (figuratively) A person of low rank or importance.
3. (India, historical) A messenger, foot soldier, or native policeman.

Related terms

• peonage

Translations

References

Further reading

• Douglas Harper (2001–2021) , “peon”, in Online Etymology Dictionary

Anagrams

• Nope, nope, open, peno-, pone

Norwegian Bokmål

Alternative forms

• pion

Etymology

From Hellenistic Ancient Greek ??????? (pai?nía), from Ancient Greek ????? (Pai?n, “Paean, physician of the gods”)/????? (pai?n, “a physician”).

Noun

peon m (definite singular peonen, indefinite plural peoner, definite plural peonene)

1. a peony (genus Paeonia)

Derived terms

• peonrød

References

• “peon” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Alternative forms

• pion

Etymology

From Hellenistic Ancient Greek ??????? (pai?nía), from Ancient Greek ????? (Pai?n, “Paean, physician of the gods”)/????? (pai?n, “a physician”).

Noun

peon m (definite singular peonen, indefinite plural peonar, definite plural peonane)

1. a peony (genus Paeonia)

References

• “peon” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

English

Etymology

From peon +? -age.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?pi??n?d?/

Noun

peonage (plural peonages)

1. The state of being a peon; the system of paying back debt through servitude and labour; loosely, any system of involuntary servitude.
   • 2010, Christopher Hitchens, Hitch-22, Atlantic 2011, p. 217:

     But there was work to be done down in the Salinas Valley where César Chávez was organizing the grape pickers and lettuce workers out of their state of un-unionized peonage.

   • 2014, Michael Nava, The City of Palaces, Terrace Books 2014, p. 191:

     "It wasn't just the crowds," Luis said softly. "I saw with my own eyes that Díaz's México is a Potemkin village, Miguel. The México profundo where the poor are so hungry they eat grass and bark. I met Indians whose land is being devoured by Díaz's cronies, entire towns swallowed up, and the people reduced to peonage. I talked to Mexican railroad workers who are paid a fraction of what the American owners pay their own countrymen for the same work."

Related terms

• peonage slavery on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Translations

Further reading

• Douglas Harper (2001–2021) , “peonage”, in Online Etymology Dictionary