serfdom

[ˈsɜːfdəm]

serfdom Definition

the condition of being a serf, where a person is forced to work on a plot of land belonging to a lord and is not allowed to leave without permission.

Using serfdom: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "serfdom" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

• Example

  Serfdom was abolished in Russia in 1861.

• Example

  The peasants were bound to the land by serfdom.

• Example

  Serfdom was a common practice in medieval Europe.

serfdom Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms for serfdom

• thralldom
• bondage
• slavery
• servitude

Phrases with serfdom

• feudal serfdom

  a system of serfdom that existed in medieval Europe under the feudal system

  Example

  Feudal serfdom was characterized by the obligation of serfs to work for their lords in exchange for protection.

• Russian serfdom

  a system of serfdom that existed in Russia from the 16th to the 19th century

  Example

  Russian serfdom was abolished in 1861 by Tsar Alexander II.

• American serfdom

  a term used to describe the economic and social conditions of sharecroppers and tenant farmers in the southern United States after the Civil War

  Example

  Many African Americans were trapped in a cycle of American serfdom after the abolition of slavery.

Origins of serfdom

from Old French 'serf', meaning 'slave'

📌

Summary: serfdom in Brief

The term 'serfdom' [ˈsɜːfdəm] refers to the condition of being a serf, where a person is forced to work on a plot of land belonging to a lord and is not allowed to leave without permission. It was a common practice in medieval Europe and was abolished in Russia in 1861. 'Serfdom' extends into phrases like 'feudal serfdom,' which existed in medieval Europe, and 'American serfdom,' which describes the economic and social conditions of sharecroppers and tenant farmers in the southern United States after the Civil War.