indenture

American  

[in-den-cher] / ɪnˈdɛn tʃər /

noun

1. a deed or agreement executed in two or more copies with edges correspondingly indented as a means of identification.

2. any deed, written contract, or sealed agreement.

3. a contract by which a person, as an apprentice, is bound to service.

4. any official or formal list, certificate, etc., authenticated for use as a voucher or the like.

5. the formal agreement between a group of bondholders and the debtor as to the terms of the debt.

6. indentation.

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verb (used with object)

indentured, indenturing

1. to bind by indenture, as an apprentice.

2. Archaic. to make a depression in; wrinkle; furrow.

indenture British  

/ ɪnˈdɛntʃə /

noun

1. any deed, contract, or sealed agreement between two or more parties

2. (formerly) a deed drawn up in duplicate, each part having correspondingly indented edges for identification and security

3. (often plural) a contract between an apprentice and his master

4. a formal or official list or certificate authenticated for use as a voucher, etc

5. a less common word for indentation

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verb

1. (intr) to enter into an agreement by indenture

2. (tr) to bind (an apprentice, servant, etc) by indenture

3. obsolete (tr) to indent or wrinkle

Other Word Forms

• indentureship noun

Etymology

Origin of indenture

First recorded in 1275–1325; a Middle English word from the Medieval Latin word indentūra; indent ¹, -ure

Example Sentences

In a little over a year, my three-decade indenture as a full-time laundress will come to an end.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 19, 2024

When Fiji de-criminalized the desertion of indenture contracts in 1916, it is little wonder that hundreds of workers left the colony's sugar plantations.

From Salon • Mar. 17, 2023

Flood was instrumental in the elimination of MLB’s horrendous indenture of players and launched the players’ rights to negotiate contracts without the tether that owners held for too many years.

From Washington Post • Sep. 3, 2021

As a result, work itself becomes pay-to-play, and people without money have no choice but to sign indenture contracts.

From Slate • Mar. 13, 2018

He exposed one of the tricks the planters used to get around the terms of the indenture contract.

From "Sugar Changed the World: A Story of Magic, Spice, Slavery, Freedom, and Science" by Marc Aronson