corvée

[ kawr-vey ]

noun

1. unpaid labor for one day, as on the repair of roads, exacted by a feudal lord.
2. an obligation imposed on inhabitants of a district to perform services, as repair of roads, bridges, etc., for little or no remuneration.

corvée

/ ˈkɔːveɪ /

noun

1. European history a day's unpaid labour owed by a feudal vassal to his lord
2. the practice or an instance of forced labour

Word History and Origins

Origin of corvée¹

1300–50; Middle English < Middle French < Late Latin corrogāta contribution, collection, noun use of feminine of Latin corrogātus (past participle of corrogāre to collect by asking), equivalent to cor- cor- + rogā ( re ) to ask + -tus past participle suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of corvée¹

C14: from Old French, from Late Latin corrogāta contribution, from Latin corrogāre to collect, from rogāre to ask

Example Sentences

The evils of the road corvée, meanwhile remained patent and indisputable.

From Project Gutenberg

The milice supplied as bad troops as the corvée supplied bad roads.

From Project Gutenberg

The corvée, vexatious as it was, yet excited less violent heats and inflicted less misery than the abuses of military service.

From Project Gutenberg

Their architects could count upon the labour not only of the fellahs of the corvée, but also upon thousands of foreign prisoners.

From Project Gutenberg

On one of the little islands, let to a middleman, all the evil features of the corvée are brought into prominence.

From Project Gutenberg