The Three Estates (Noun)
Meaning
A major social class or order of persons regarded collectively as part of the body politic of the country (especially in the United Kingdom) and formerly possessing distinct political rights.
Classification
Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects.
Examples
- The traditional social hierarchy in medieval England was represented by the Three Estates: the clergy, the nobility, and the commoners, each having distinct roles and responsibilities.
- In the pre-revolutionary France, the Three Estates played a significant part in national politics and held significant sway over social and economic matters.
- Prior to the 19th century reforms, the British Parliament consisted of the Lords Spiritual, the Lords Temporal, and the Commons, representing the Three Estates.
- During the French Revolution, the representatives of the Third Estate rejected the traditional distinction between the Three Estates and proclaimed themselves as the National Assembly.
- Prior to the Glorious Revolution, England's social hierarchy was divided primarily into the Three Estates, with the first two being the most privileged and the third comprising the majority of the population.