Serfs: meaning, definitions and examples

Used to refer to individuals in feudal societies who were bound to the land they worked on and were under the control of a lord. They were often required to provide labor or other services.

• The serfs were required to work the lord's fields in exchange for protection.
• During medieval times, serfs had very few rights and freedoms.

Describes rural agricultural workers who may own or rent small plots of land. This term does not necessarily imply being bound to the land or to a lord, and can be used more broadly.

• The peasants gathered in the market to sell their crops.
• Peasants made up the majority of the rural population in the Middle Ages.

Used more generally to describe inhabitants of a village, regardless of their occupation or social status. This term is neutral and modern.

• The villagers celebrated the annual festival with music and dancing.
• Villagers worked together to rebuild the community center after the storm.

Refers to individuals who were bound by a legal agreement to serve another person, typically in a feudal or slave context. It carries a somewhat antiquated or formal tone.

• The bondsmen were bound to serve their masters for a fixed number of years.
• As bondsmen, they were not free to leave their service until their debt was paid off.