smallfolk
The humble masses
Smallfolk refers to common people of low social rank, as distinguished from nobility or aristocracy.
The term appears primarily in fantasy literature and medieval-inspired fiction, where it describes peasants, laborers, and other ordinary citizens: The king cared little for the smallfolk.
It carries a slightly dismissive tone, reflecting how the powerful might view those beneath them.
Low-ranking agricultural workers
- villagersInhabitants of small settlements
- townsfolkResidents of a village
- populaceInhabitants of a place
- massesBulk or populace
commonalty · plebeians · serfs · lowborn · baseborn · subjects · tenants · laborers
Small rustic dwellings
- thatched roofsBundled reed house coverings
- village squareCentral public space
- market dayScheduled commerce gathering
- farmsteadsRural agricultural dwellings
fields · pastures · commons · hamlet · countryside · hearth · tavern · well
Traditional oral narratives
- legendsTraditional stories or icons
- superstitionsUnfounded beliefs about luck
- oral traditionCulture passed by speech
- old wives' talesTraditional unfounded beliefs
seasonal rituals · charms · omens · fairy tales · local legends
peasants
Low-ranking agricultural workers
- villagersInhabitants of small settlements
- townsfolkResidents of a village
- populaceInhabitants of a place
masses · commonalty · plebeians · serfs · lowborn · baseborn · subjects · tenants · laborers · servants
cottages
Small rustic dwellings
- thatched roofsBundled reed house coverings
- village squareCentral public space
- market dayScheduled commerce gathering
farmsteads · fields · pastures · commons · hamlet · countryside · hearth · tavern · well · millpond
folktales
Traditional oral narratives
- legendsTraditional stories or icons
- superstitionsUnfounded beliefs about luck
- oral traditionCulture passed by speech
old wives' tales · seasonal rituals · charms · omens · fairy tales · local legends