noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
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.
Sound
Pronunciation
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CMU ARPABET:EH0 N S L EY1 V M AH0 N T
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
The act of enslaving or the state of being a slave; bondage
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
the act of making slaves of your captives
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: capture, gaining control, seizure
3
noun
Meaning 3
the state of being a slave--Shakespeare
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
So every bondman in his own hand bears the power to cancel his captivity
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: captivity
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: subjugation, subjection
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h1én Proto-Italic *en Proto-Italic *en- Latin in- Old French en-bor. Middle English en- English en- substrateder.? Proto-Indo-European *ḱlewH-der.? Proto-Slavic *slov- Proto-Slavic *-ǫta Proto-Slavic *Slov-? Proto-Balto-Slavic *-ēnas Proto-Indo-European *-nós Proto-Indo-European *-iHnos Proto-Slavic *-inъ Proto-Slavic *-ěninъ Proto-Slavic *slověninъbor. Ancient Greek Σκλαβηνός (Sklabēnós)der. Byzantine Greek Σκλᾰ́βος (Sklắbos)bor. Late Latin Sclavus Medieval Latin sclavusbor. Old French esclavebor. Middle English sclave English slave English enslave Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥ Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥tom Proto-Italic *-mentom Latin -mentum Old French -mentbor. Middle English -ment English -ment English enslavement From enslave + -ment.
Across languages
Translations
24 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Azerbaijani:
kölələşdirilmə
— the act of enslaving or the state of being a slave; bondage
Bulgarian:
поробване
(porobvane)
— the act of enslaving or the state of being a slave; bondage
Catalan:
esclavització
— the act of enslaving or the state of being a slave; bondage
Chinese Mandarin:
奴役
(núyì)
— the act of enslaving or the state of being a slave; bondage
Czech:
zotročení
— the act of enslaving or the state of being a slave; bondage
Finnish:
orjuutus
— the act of enslaving or the state of being a slave; bondage
French:
asservissement
— the act of enslaving or the state of being a slave; bondage
French:
esclavage
— the act of enslaving or the state of being a slave; bondage
French:
esclavagisation
— the act of enslaving or the state of being a slave; bondage
German:
Versklavung
— the act of enslaving or the state of being a slave; bondage
Greek:
δουλεία
(douleía)
— the act of enslaving or the state of being a slave; bondage
Greek:
υποδούλωση
(ypodoúlosi)
— the act of enslaving or the state of being a slave; bondage
Greek:
σκλάβωμα
(sklávoma)
— the act of enslaving or the state of being a slave; bondage
Kalmyk:
бөгллһн
(bögllğn)
— the act of enslaving or the state of being a slave; bondage
Māori:
ponongatanga
— the act of enslaving or the state of being a slave; bondage
Māori:
whakapononga
— the act of enslaving or the state of being a slave; bondage
Māori:
whakarōrā
— the act of enslaving or the state of being a slave; bondage
Māori:
whakaponongatanga
— the act of enslaving or the state of being a slave; bondage
Polish:
zniewolenie
— the act of enslaving or the state of being a slave; bondage
Russian:
порабоще́ние
(poraboščénije)
— the act of enslaving or the state of being a slave; bondage
Spanish:
esclavización
— the act of enslaving or the state of being a slave; bondage
Swedish:
förslavning
— the act of enslaving or the state of being a slave; bondage
Ukrainian:
поневолювання
(ponevoljuvannja)
— the act of enslaving or the state of being a slave; bondage
Ukrainian:
поневолення
(ponevolennja)
— the act of enslaving or the state of being a slave; bondage
