From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishplebeianple‧be‧ian1 /plɪˈbiːən/ adjective relating to ordinary people and what they like, rather than to people from a high social class – used to show disapproval a man with plebeian tastes
Examples from the Corpus
plebeian• The food selection - hot dogs and beer - was rather plebeian.• He has also noted the importance of publicans as profit-minded promoters of plebeian events.• Later, plebeian families imitated this ancient model and began to worship their ancestors as if they were gods.• Nor were plebeian members mere foot-soldiers at the disposal of intelligenty party officials.• There was nothing vulgar about these hands, not like his wife's plebeian paws with their chilblains and chipped red enamel.• From at least the closing years of the eighteenth century the decline of gentry involvement and even tolerance of plebeian sports was evident.• But the Master, it must be said, is a man of plebeian tastes.plebeianplebeian2 noun [countable] 1 CLASS IN SOCIETYan insulting word for someone who is from a low social class2 SSan ordinary person who had no special rank in ancient Rome OPP patricianExamples from the Corpus
plebeian• Both nobles and plebeians quench the thirst of their lust here.• As Godoy claimed, the Tumult of Aranjuez was the work of seduced plebeians, a revolution that seeped down from above.• These first few lines are very formal, perhaps too formal for the plebeians.• Presently he soon takes advantage of the simplicity of the plebeians.• Shakespeare emphasizes how strongly the plebeians are in favour of Brutus when Antony begins to speak.• Both speakers are trying to establish their own power by appealing to the plebeians whose support they totally depend on.• The plebeians are a bit thick, as they didn't see through Caesar.Origin plebeian2 (1500-1600) Latin plebeius, from plebs “common people” 