serf
Other forms: serfs
A serf is a person who is forced to work on a plot of land, especially during the medieval period when Europe practiced feudalism, when a few lords owned all the land and everyone else had to toil on it.
In Europe between the 9th and 15th centuries, large plots of land were ruled by lords who made serfs work the land for the lords’ profit. The Latin root of the word is servus, which literally means “slave,” but serf and slave are not synonyms. There were many kinds of serfs, some of which were indeed slaves, but others were more like employees who had some limited freedom. Either way, a serf’s life was a brutal and unpleasant life.
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(Middle Ages) a person who is bound to the land and owned by the feudal lord
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Vocabulary lists containing serf
You'll be a vocabulary tsar once you review these words related to Russia. In addition to learning about the climate, biomes, and natural resources of Russia, you'll explore Russian history from the Russian Empire to communism and the Cold War.
You'll be a vocabulary tsar once you review these words related to Russia. In addition to learning about the climate, biomes, and natural resources of Russia, you'll explore Russian history from the Russian Empire to communism and the Cold War.
Through the alternating perspectives of four fictional teens, best-selling author Ruta Sepetys dramatizes the experiences of refugees searching for a safe haven during World War II. Learn key vocabulary from this engrossing historical novel based on a true story.