peon Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a laborer who is obliged to do menial work
    galley slave; navvy; drudge.

WordNet

Pe"on noun
Definitions
  1. See Poon.
Pe"on noun
Etymology
Sp. peon, or Pg. peo, one who travels on foot, a foot soldier, a pawn in chess. See Pawn in chess.
Definitions
  1. A foot soldier; a policeman; also, an office attendant; a messenger. India
  2. A day laborer; a servant; especially, in some of the Spanish American countries, debtor held by his creditor in a form of qualified servitude, to work out a debt.
  3. (Chess) See 2d Pawn.

Webster 1913