noun
- Plural of peón; laborers or workers, especially in Spanish-speaking countries or historical contexts.
- In chess, plural of peón (pawn); the smallest pieces on a chessboard.
Usage: Spanish loanword; often refers to agricultural or manual laborers; historical term in Latin American contexts
Usage: Spanish chess terminology; less common in English than 'pawns'
Examples
- The hacienda employed dozens of peones to work the fields.
- During the colonial period, peones had few rights and faced harsh working conditions.
- The peones moved their pieces forward cautiously in the opening.
- Many peones migrated to cities seeking better opportunities.
- The landowner relied on peones for the harvest season.