servitude
noun
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Servitude is slavery or anything resembling it. The entire black population of colonial America lived in permanent servitude. And millions of the whites who populated this country arrived in "indentured servitude", obliged to pay off the cost of their journey with several years of labor. Servitude comes in many forms, of course: in the bad old days of the British navy, it was said that the difference between going to sea and going to jail was that you were less likely to drown in jail.
Synonyms
Examples of servitude in a Sentence
Anabel Sosa, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2024
On Thursday, the Chester County District Attorney’s Office announced additional charges — including first-degree murder and involuntary servitude — against the couple.
—Muri Assunção, New York Daily News, 26 July 2024
Finally released from servitude, Collum steals Alasdair’s armor and horse and embarks upon his dream of pledging himself to King Arthur.
—Elizabeth Hand, Washington Post, 16 July 2024
For so many little girls, dolls were only ever baby dolls, which meant that their playtime could only ever revolve around motherhood, servitude, and no fun whatsoever.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 16 July 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Servitude.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/servitude. Accessed 19 Aug. 2024.
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servitude
noun
Legal Definition
servitude
noun
Note: A predial servitude is transferred along with the ownership of the dominant estate, and the servient estate is always taken subject to the servitude. A predial servitude cannot be transferred separately from the dominant estate.
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