Servitude
/ˈsɜːr.vɪ.tjuːd/noun
The state of being enslaved or completely subject to another's control.
Did you know?Servitude entered English through Old French from Latin *servitudo*, a formal abstract noun built on *servus* (“slave”), so its history is literally tied to the language of ownership and bondage.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ser-
“Likely “to watch over” or “protect,” the distant root behind Latin words for service and guardianship.”
Latin
Latin
servus
“Slave; servant.”
Latin
Latin
servitudo
“Slavery; servitude; the condition of a slave.”
Old French
Old French
servitude
“Slavery; bondage; subjection.”
Middle English
English
servitude
“The condition of being in bondage or forced labor.”
Modern English
English
servitude
“The state of being enslaved or completely subject to another's control.”