Roturier (according to Littre from ruptura, Low Latin for ground broken by the plough), under feudalism, when the feudal theory of knight's-service was recognised as the only principle of gentle tenure, one who continued to hold by the older or allodial tenure, and was accordingly regarded as ignoble. See FEUDALISM, ALLODIUM.
Roturier
Chambers's Encyclopaedia, Volume 8: Peasant to Eoumelia, p. 823
Source scan(s): p. 0836