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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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

Sequor hunc, Lucanus an Appulus anceps; Nam Venusinus arat finem sub utrumque colonus.

From The Lives of the Twelve Caesars, Complete by Suetonius Tranquillus, Gaius

Rostra vacant, edicta silent, sua praemia desunt Emeritis, populo jura, colonus agris.

From The Irish Ecclesiastical Record, Volume 1, November 1864 by

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 Kinney, Margaret West

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 Kinney, Margaret West