enslavement

[ en-sleyv-muhnt ]

noun

1. the act of taking or holding someone as a slave:

   Until his death, Bartolomé de las Casas worked to prevent the enslavement of the Indigenous peoples of the Caribbean.

2. the state or condition of being held in slavery:

   During their enslavement, African Americans were prevented from learning to read or write.

Word History and Origins

Origin of enslavement¹

enslave ( def ) + -ment ( def )

Example Sentences

Medical evidence shows a high rate of type 2 diabetes in the Caribbean which some suggest is associated with centuries of poor nutrition due to past enslavement.

From BBC

The draft communique says a majority of member states “share common historical experiences in relation to this abhorrent trade, chattel enslavement, the debilitation and dispossession of indigenous people”.

From BBC

His ancestral link to enslavement is through Sir Anthony, who died three years before Mr Welby discovered they were related.

From BBC

As for choosing her drag name, Rileasa says she wanted to reference historical enslavement of Caribbean people by the British and some other European countries.

From BBC

After enslavement came the New Orleans massacre of 1866, the Race Riot of 1900 and other terrorist attacks that left countless dead and destroyed Black businesses and homes.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• servitude
• slavery