colonus

American  

[kuh-loh-nuhs] / kəˈloʊ nəs /

noun

• coloni
  plural

1. a serf in the latter period of the Roman Empire or in the early feudal period.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• coloni
  plural

Etymology

Origin of colonus

First recorded in 1885–90; from Latin colōnus “inhabitant of a colony, tenant farmer, farmer,” derivative of colere “to inhabit, till, cultivate”; cf. cult, cultivate

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

colonus coloni

It has been taken to denote two degrees of servitude—the predial dependence of a colonus and the personal dependence of a true slave.

From Villainage in England Essays in English Mediaeval History by Paul Vinogradoff

As the colonus stood higher than the slave, so did the pauper, socially at any rate, free to support himself, exceed the colonus.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 5, Slice 8 "Chariot" to "Chatelaine" by Various

"Neither colonus nor casarius nor the son of such is he, nor even esne, whose trade might win him privileges."

From Nicanor - Teller of Tales A Story of Roman Britain by Margaret West Kinney

Then seek there a man by name of Tobias, a colonus and a worker in ivory for the good Christian priests.

From Nicanor - Teller of Tales A Story of Roman Britain by Margaret West Kinney

Phil. ii. 41, like σύνοικος; colonus, the farmer, in opp. to the landowner, Cic.

From Döderlein's Hand-book of Latin Synonymes by Ludwig Döderlein

In the country the free agricultural laborers became coloni, a curious intermediate class, neither slave nor really free.

From An Introduction to the History of Western Europe by James Harvey Robinson

Whatever slave labor had at one time been used in African agricultural operations was, by the early principate, largely displaced by free laborers, called coloni.

From A History of Rome to 565 A. D. by Arthur Edward Romilly Boak

The sons of senators, soldiers, curiales, corporati, and coloni had to follow in their fathers’ walks of life, and each sought to escape from the tasks to which he was born.

From A History of Rome to 565 A. D. by Arthur Edward Romilly Boak

Resemblance between the coloni and the later serfs.

From An Introduction to the History of Western Europe by James Harvey Robinson

As this status of serfdom was hitherto unknown in Roman law, a great many imperial enactments had to be issued defining the rights and duties of the coloni.

From A History of Rome to 565 A. D. by Arthur Edward Romilly Boak