Tiers-état, n.

(tē-ēr'z/ā'tā'), n. [Fr.] The third estate, or commonalty, answering to the commons in Great Britain;—so called in distinction from, and as inferior to, the nobles and clergy. [France.]

☞ The refusal of the clergy and nobility to give the tiers-état a representation in the states-general proportioned to their actual numbers, had an important influence in bringing on the French Revolution of 1789. Since that time the term has been purely historical.