Definition

The act of making someone a serf, which means to bind them to a lord's land and make them work for that lord, often without freedom.

Example

The enserfment of the peasants led to widespread discontent in the village.

Conversation

I was reading about the history of enserfment in Europe.

That sounds interesting! What did you learn?

It was shocking to see how many people were affected by enserfment back then.

Yeah, it really puts things into perspective about freedom today.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Enserfment is formed from "en-" (meaning to cause to be) and "serf" (from Old French *serf*, meaning a person bound to serve a lord). The word describes the process of making someone a serf, or binding them to servitude.

Memory Tip

Think of 'en-' meaning to cause to be, and 'serf' as someone bound to serve. This helps you remember that enserfment means the act of making someone a serf.

Visually Confused Words