noun
churl
A peasant or low-ranking freeman in medieval England.
The historian describes the churl as a low-ranking freeman who worked the land.
Etymology
The Old English term identified a common free man below the nobility. This historical sense preserves that social rank before the word developed its insulting sense of a rude person.
More examples
- A churl owed duties under the local system.
- The manuscript lists several churls among the villagers.
- The landholder's family had once belonged to the churl class.
Forms
churl · churls
Similar words
- serf
- A serf was bound to an estate; a churl in this historical sense was a freeman of low status.