Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary · 1913

Peon

Peon , noun

See Poon.

Peon , noun

[Sp. peon, or Portuguese pe{not transcribed}o, one who travels on foot, a foot soldier, a pawn in chess. See Pawn in chess.]

1.
A foot soldier; a policeman; also, an office attendant; a messenger. [India]
2.
A day laborer; a servant; especially, in some of the Spanish American countries, debtor held by his creditor in a form of qualified servitude, to work out a debt.
3.
(Chess) See 2d Pawn.