Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
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noun
A system in Spain and, later and more extensively, in Spanish colonies, in which the right to exploit the labour of certain groups of subject people (initially, Muslims, during the Reconquista) was granted to conquerors; servitude within this system.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: historical, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A permission to exploit labour within the encomienda system; an enterprise established to exploit such a permission.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, historical
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology tree Spanish encomendardeverb. Spanish encomiendabor. English encomienda Borrowed from Spanish encomienda (“grant”).
