Bondservant: meaning, definitions and examples

Used in historical or religious contexts to describe someone who is legally bound to serve another person for a period of time.

• In ancient times, a bondservant would work for their master until they were freed

Harsh term referring to someone who is owned by another person and is forced to work without freedom; carries strong negative connotations due to historical and contemporary abuses.

• Slaves were treated as property and had no rights or freedoms of their own

General term for a person employed to perform domestic or personal tasks, often with less emphasis on restriction or ownership compared to other terms.

• The household employed a servant to help with the cleaning and cooking duties

Commonly found in feudal systems of medieval Europe, where a serf was tied to working on a lord's land.

• During the Middle Ages, the serf was obligated to till the lord's land and in return got protection

A person who serves another and is under contractual obligation but without the implication of ownership. Often used in historical or biblical texts.

• In ancient times, many people lived as bondservants, working for their masters to repay debts.
• The novel described the life of a bondservant in colonial America.

Refers to someone who works for another person under a contract for a fixed period in exchange for things like transportation, food, and lodging. Commonly used to describe labor systems in the 17th-19th centuries.

• The young man became an indentured servant to pay for his passage to the New World.
• Indentured servants played a significant role in the economic development of early American colonies.

Old-fashioned term for a male slave or serf, indicating a man who is bound to serve another person without freedom. It has a negative connotation due to associations with slavery.

• The bondman toiled under the hot sun, lacking the hope of freedom.
• In medieval times, a bondman was tied to the land and the will of his lord.