English Explanatory Dictionary

slavery

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. An institution or social practice of owning human beings as property, especially for use as forced laborers.
  2. Forced labor in general, regardless of legality.
  3. A condition of servitude endured by a slave.
  4. A condition in which one is captivated or subjugated, as by greed or drugs.
adj
  1. Covered in slaver; slobbery.

Pronunciation

/ˈsleɪvəɹi/ /ˈsleɪvɹi/ en-us-slavery.ogg LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-slavery.wav /ˈslævəɹi/ /ˈslævɹi/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-slavery2.wav

Word forms

slavery slaveries more slavery most slavery

Etymology

From slave + -ery.

Related words

debt bondage bonded labour

Derived words

antislavery bondslavery chattel slavery debt slavery geoslavery neo-slavery postslavery preslavery proslavery proslaveryism pseudoslavery sell into slavery sexual slavery technoslavery wagery wage slavery white slavery
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