serfdom

[ surf-duhm ]
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noun
  1. the condition of being a serf in a position of servitude, required to render services to a lord: He lived in serfdom until 1831 when, at the age of 30, he escaped.

  2. the condition or population of serfs taken as a whole: Her thesis analyzes the phenomenon of serfdom and the manner in which it changed between 1772 and 1848.

  1. servitude of any kind: Technology, in the absence of scientific guidance, is a Pied Piper leading us into industrial serfdom.

Origin of serfdom

1
  • Also Archaic, serf·age .

Words Nearby serfdom

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use serfdom in a sentence