serf

Etymology

From Middle English serf, from Old French serf, from Latin servus (“slave, serf, servant”), perhaps of Etruscan origin

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /sɜːf/
• (US) IPA^(key): /sɝf/
• Homophone: surf (in accents with the fern-fir-fur merger)
• Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)f

Noun

serf (plural serfs)

1. A partially free peasant of a low hereditary class, slavishly attached to the land owned by a feudal lord and required to perform labour, enjoying minimal legal or customary rights.
2. A similar agricultural labourer in 18th and 19th century Europe.
3. (strategy games) A worker unit.

See also

• slave

Anagrams

• ESRF, FERS, Refs, erfs, f***ers, refs

Etymology

From Middle Dutch serf, from Old French serf, from Latin servus.

Noun

serf m (plural serven, diminutive serfje n)

1. A serf, semifree peasant obliged to remain on the lord's land and to perform extensive chores for him

Etymology

From Middle French serf, from Old French serf, from Latin servus (“slave, serf, servant”), from Proto-Indo-European *ser-wo- (“guardian”), or perhaps of Etruscan origin.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sɛʁf/ (predominant)
• IPA^(key): /sɛʁ/ (alternatively)
• Homophones: cerf, sers, sert

Noun

serf m (plural serfs, feminine serve)

1. A serf, semifree peasant obliged to remain on the lord's land and to perform extensive chores for him

Adjective

serf (feminine singular serve, masculine plural serfs, feminine plural serves)

1. being or like a serf, semifree

Further reading

• “serf” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Anagrams

• fers

Etymology

From French cerf.

Noun

serf

1. deer

Etymology

From Old French serf.

Noun

serf m (plural serfs)

1. serf (semifree peasant)

Etymology 1

From Latin servus.

Etymology 2

See servir

Etymology

From French cerf

Noun

serf

1. deer

Reference

• Danielle D’Offay et Guy Lionnet, Diksyonner Kreol - Franse / Dictionnaire Créole Seychellois - Français