serf

[ surf ]

noun

1. a person in a condition of feudal servitude, required to render services to a lord, commonly attached to the lord's land and transferred with it from one owner to another.

   Synonyms: peasant, villein, vassal

2. a worker who is underpaid, overworked, or otherwise exploited:

   Today's service-sector serfs are fighting for the most basic of job perks: a decent paycheck, a stable schedule, and paid time off when they are sick.

3. Obsolete. a person held in bondage or slavery.

serf

/ sɜːf /

noun

1. (esp in medieval Europe) an unfree person, esp one bound to the land. If his lord sold the land, the serf was passed on to the new landlord

serf

1. Under feudalism , a peasant bound to his lord's land and subject to his lord's will, but entitled to his lord's protection.

Derived Forms

• ˈserfˌlike, adjective
• ˈserfdom, noun

Other Words From

• serf·dom [surf, -d, uh, m] noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of serf¹

First recorded in 1475–85; from Old French, from Latin servus “slave”

Word History and Origins

Origin of serf¹

C15: from Old French, from Latin servus a slave; see serve

Example Sentences

Displays blurred the lines between rebellion and refinement, presenting collections that navigated through time — evoking medieval serfs with a modern twist and embracing minimalist aesthetics reminiscent of the 1990s.

From Seattle Times

Leasehold dates back hundreds of years - before women even had the right to own property - to a time of lords and landowners, peasants and serfs.

From BBC

Catherine had to deal with fractious nobles and rebellious serfs; I have to deal with a mutinous tree — it’s basically the same thing.

From New York Times

The paintings are infused with an appeal for the sort of medieval generosity where lords claim an obligation for the well-being of serfs.

From Los Angeles Times

“People are fleeing California in droves because they don’t want to live as serfs in Prince Gavin’s kingdom. I’m pretty sure his visit here to normal America violates some kind of California travel restriction.”

From Los Angeles Times