sansculotte

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

sansculotte / ˌsænzkjʊˈlɒt sɑ̃kylɔt/ noun

1. (during the French Revolution) (originally) a revolutionary of the poorer class
2. (later) any revolutionary, esp one having extreme republican sympathies
3. any revolutionary extremist

Etymology: 18th Century: from French, literally: without knee breeches, because the revolutionaries wore pantaloons or trousers rather than knee breeches

ˌsanscuˈlottism noun

ˌsanscuˈlottist noun

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

sans-cu•lotte  (sanz′kyŏŏ lot′, -kŏŏ-; Fr. sän ky lôt′), n., pl. sans-cu•lottes 

(sanz′kyŏŏ lots′, -kŏŏ-; Fr. sän ky lôt′). 
1. World History (in the French Revolution) a revolutionary of the poorer class: originally a term of contempt applied by the aristocrats but later adopted as a popular name by the revolutionaries.
2. World History any extreme republican or revolutionary.

• French: literally, without knee breeches
• 1780–90

sans-cu•lot•tic  (sanz′kyŏŏ lot′ik, -kŏŏ-), adj.  sans′-cu•lot′tish, adj. 
sans′-cu•lot′tism, n. 
sans′-cu•lot′tist, n.