Vocabulary Entry

villein

|noun

noun

A peasant who was legally bound to a piece of land and subject to the will of the landowner in medieval Europe.

Example Sentences

"The villein worked hard in the fields to pay off his dues to the lord."

"As a villein, he had limited rights and was often under the control of the landowner."

"Historically, villeins could not leave the land they were bound to without permission."