PEASANT (O. Fr. paysant, Mod. paysan;

See also:

• LAT

Lat. pagensis, belonging to the pagus or

See also:

• COUNTRY (from the Mid. Eng. contre or contrie, and O. Fr. cuntree; Late Lat. contrata, showing the derivation from contra, opposite, over against, thus the tract of land which fronts the sight, cf. Ger. Gegend, neighbourhood)

country; cf. "

See also:

• PAGAN
• PAGAN (Lat. paganus, of or belonging to a pagus, a canton, county district, village, commune)

pagan ")  , a countryman or rustic, either working for others, or, more specifically, owning or renting and working by his own labour a small plot of ground . Though a word of not very strict application, it is now frequently used of the rural population of such countries as France, where the land is chiefly held by small holders, " peasant proprietors." (See ALLOTMENTS and METAYAGE) .