ryot

noun

ry·​ot

variants or raiyat

ˈrīət

plural -s

: a peasant, tenant farmer, or cultivator of the soil in India

Word History

Etymology

Hindi raiyat, raʽīyat, from Persian, from Arabic raʽīyah flock, herd

First Known Use

1625, in the meaning defined above

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!