Serfs: meaning, definitions and examples
👨🌾
serfs
[ sɜːrfs ]
medieval history
Serfs were unfree peasants who worked the land of a lord and were bound to the land, unable to leave without the lord's permission. They were a key part of the feudal system.
Synonyms
Examples of usage
- Serfs toiled in the fields from dawn till dusk.
- The lord owned the land, but the serfs worked it.
- Serfs had very few rights and were at the mercy of the lord.
- The life of a serf was harsh and difficult.
- Serfs were considered the lowest social class in medieval society.
Translations
Translations of the word "serfs" in other languages:
🇵🇹 servos
🇮🇳 किसान
🇩🇪 Leibeigene
🇮🇩 hamba
🇺🇦 кріпаки
🇵🇱 chłopi pańszczyźniani
🇯🇵 農奴
🇫🇷 serfs
🇪🇸 siervos
🇹🇷 köleler
🇰🇷 농노
🇸🇦 أقنان
🇨🇿 nevolníci
🇸🇰 nevoľníci
🇨🇳 农奴
🇸🇮 tlaki
🇮🇸 þrælar
🇰🇿 құлдар
🇬🇪 გლეხები
🇦🇿 kölələr
🇲🇽 siervos
Word origin
The term 'serf' originated in the late 15th century and comes from the Middle French word 'serf', which means 'slave'. Serfs played a crucial role in the medieval feudal system, providing labor and goods to their lords in exchange for protection. The system of serfdom declined with the rise of capitalism and the abolition of feudalism in the 19th century.