noun
- members of the common people; commoners (especially in historical French society)
Usage: historical; French origin
Examples
- The roturiers were excluded from many privileges reserved for the nobility.
- During the French Revolution, the roturiers rose up against the aristocratic system.
- Unlike the nobles, roturiers had to pay heavy taxes to the crown.
- The marriage between a noble and one of the roturiers caused scandal.
- Social mobility was limited for roturiers in pre-revolutionary France.
- The Third Estate consisted primarily of roturiers and bourgeoisie.