Definition

A person who farms land owned by someone else and pays for the use of the land by giving a portion of the crops they grow to the landowner instead of paying rent in money.

Example

The sharecropper worked hard in the fields to provide for his family and pay the landlord.

Conversation

I was reading about the life of a sharecropper in the South.

Oh really? That sounds interesting!

Yeah, it's fascinating how they managed to survive despite the challenges.

Definitely, their stories are often overlooked.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Sharecropper → It is formed from "share" (from Old English *scearu*, meaning a portion or division) and "cropper" (from "crop" meaning a cultivated plant or harvest, combined with the agent suffix "-er" meaning a person who). A sharecropper is a person who works the land and shares the crop produced with the landowner.

Memory Tip

Think of someone who takes a 'portion' ('share') of the 'harvest' ('crop') — that's what a sharecropper does.

Visually Confused Words