1. Plural of ceorl; in Anglo-Saxon England, a member of the class of free peasants or commoners, ranking below nobles but above slaves.
Usage: archaic; historical; Anglo-Saxon history

Examples

• The ceorls of Anglo-Saxon England worked the land and paid taxes to their lords.
• Unlike slaves, ceorls had certain legal rights and could own property.
• The social hierarchy included kings, nobles, ceorls, and slaves.
• Ceorls formed the backbone of the Anglo-Saxon agricultural economy.
• A ceorl could be elevated in status through military service or wealth accumulation.