corvée
[ kawr-vey ]
/ kɔrˈveɪ /
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noun
unpaid labor for one day, as on the repair of roads, exacted by a feudal lord.
an obligation imposed on inhabitants of a district to perform services, as repair of roads, bridges, etc., for little or no remuneration.
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Origin of corvée
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
Words nearby corvée
Corunna, coruscant, coruscate, coruscation, Corvallis, corvée, corves, corvette, corvina, corvine, Corvisart des Marets
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
How to use corvée in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for corvée
corvée
/ (ˈkɔːveɪ) /
noun
European history a day's unpaid labour owed by a feudal vassal to his lord
the practice or an instance of forced labour
Word Origin for corvée
C14: from Old French, from Late Latin corrogāta contribution, from Latin corrogāre to collect, from rogāre to ask
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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