1. A person who possesses and enjoys all the civil and political rights belonging to the people under a free government.
2. A person who is not a slave.
3. Hist. A member of a municipal corporation (a city or borough) who possesses full civic rights, esp. the right to vote.
4. Hist. A freeholder. Cf. VILLEIN.
5. Hist. An allodial landowner. Cf. VASSAL. — Also spelled free man.