Slavery definition. Discover expressions like "be sold into slavery", "sell into slavery", "yoke of slavery". Jul 6, 2020 · The 1926 Slavery Convention fixed the definition of the term ‘slavery’ in international law. Sexual slavery refers to the systematic enslavement of individuals for sexual purposes, forcing them to perform sexual acts against their will. In ancient Egypt, some people became slaves because they owed money or as punishment. [1 Sep 5, 2020 · Where the slave trade is concerned, the definition as set out in the Slavery Convention, 1926, was confirmed by its inclusion in the Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, the Slave Trade, and Institutions and Practices Similar to Slavery, 1956. transitive verb To enslave. Of the 20. Throughout history, some forms of slavery existed as punishment for committing crimes or to pay off debts. It involves controlling a person through force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of sexual exploitation. Where slavery is a legal practice, slaves may be held under the control of another person, group, organization, or state. See slave-making. a person who is forced. It has been a pervasive practice throughout human history and has had significant impacts on the development of societies, particularly in the context of race and ethnicity. They worked in farming, mining, homes, and even as teachers. Slavery existed in the United States from its founding in 1776 and became the main Definition of slavery noun in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. 6 million of men, women and children in all countries and all economic sectors. Slavery has been common in many places throughout history and throughout the world. This practice has been a significant aspect of human history, deeply intertwined with patterns of forced migration, as enslaved people were often uprooted from their homes and transported to distant lands against their will, leading to profound social, economic Slavery A civil relationship in which one person has absolute power over the life, fortune, and liberty of another. Slavery in America was the legal institution of enslaving human beings, mainly Africans and African Americans. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more. g. [2] Slavery typically involves compulsory work, with the slave's location of work and residence dictated by the party that holds them in bondage. Check meanings, examples, usage tips, pronunciation, domains, and related words. Define slavery. quotations Define slave. The social, economic, and legal positions of slaves have differed vastly in different systems of slavery in different times and places. The prolonged wars with the SLAVE meaning: 1 : someone who is legally owned by another person and is forced to work for that person without pay; 2 : a person who is strongly influenced and controlled by something + to or of 7 senses: 1. Slavery is a system in which one human being is legally as property to another. Aug 19, 2019 · Interracial abolition efforts grew in force as enslaved people, free black people and some white citizens fought for the end of slavery and a more inclusive definition of freedom. Types of Slavery Chattel slavery, so named because people are treated as the personal property, chattels, of an owner and are bought and sold as commodities, is the original form of slavery. slavery system, including the definition of an abolitionist and their work versus the Oct 18, 2024 · Slavery can be understood as a social institution wherein individuals are owned and controlled by others. net dictionary. From ancient Greece to the modern Americas, innumerable governments have sanctioned the complete control of certain persons for the benefit of other persons, usually under the guise of social Chattel slavery is a form of slavery in which individuals are treated as personal property that can be bought, sold, and owned. There is one meaning in OED's entry for the adjective slavery. Sep 22, 2025 · Slavery - African Heritage, Resistance, Legacy: The institution of slavery usually tried to deny its victims their native cultural identity. quotations SLAVERY meaning: the practice of having slaves. The condition of a slave; that civil relation in which one man has absolute power over the life, fortune, and liberty of another. Sep 26, 2025 · Abolitionism, movement between about 1783 and 1888 that was chiefly responsible for creating the emotional climate necessary for ending the transatlantic slave trade and chattel slavery. Although modern slavery is not defined in law, it is used as an umbrella term that focuses attention on commonalities across these legal concepts. [1] It is an economic phenomenon and its history resides in economic history. The Enlightenment, characterized by ideals of liberty and equality The meaning of SLAVERY is the practice or institution of holding people as chattel involuntarily and under threat of violence. The end of slavery Oct 28, 2025 · Slavery - Master-Slave, Legal, Relationships: The master-slave relationship was the cornerstone of the law of slavery, and yet it was an area about which the law often said very little. Sep 22, 2025 · Slavery - Forced Labor, Oppression, Inequality: The first known major slave society was that of Athens. What does slave mean? Information and translations of slave in the most comprehensive dictionary definitions resource on the web. Nonetheless, studies have shown that there were aspects of slave culture that differed from the master culture The Economics of Slavery At its heart, slavery is an inhuman perversion of a simple economic principle: The best way to maximize profits is by minimizing the cost of labor. In some countries, including the UK, the term has a specific meaning in criminal law, while in other countries it is used in a more Oct 30, 2024 · The meaning of SLAVERY is the practice or institution of holding people as chattel involuntarily and under threat of violence. from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English. : When people are in slavery, they are in a The meaning of SLAVE is someone captured, sold, or born into chattel slavery. See, e. Slavery can be traced back to the early civilizations; Slavery is the social and/or legal designation of specific persons as property, without the right to refuse work or receive payment. Spain instituted this episode in Puerto Rico and Florida circa 1500. This chapter unpacks the 1926 definition of slavery to demonstrate the manner in which it can and should be read so as to give it substance both as a legal tool – to assist in the prosecution of individuals involved in enslaving others, be it through the traficking process or otherwise – and as an advocacy tool meant to aid in bringing contemporary slav-ery to the forefront of public Abolished Slavery refers to the legal and societal ending of the practice of enslaving individuals, primarily through legislative acts like the 13th Amendment, which formally abolished slavery in the United States in 1865. The issue has been at the heart of the ILO mandate to promote Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, leaving no one behind. See also translations, pronunciation, and usage examples of slavery. Many were prisoners taken during wars. Activities associated with sex slavery include prostitution, pornography, child sex rings, sex tourism, and such occupations as nude dancing and modeling. Modern slavery covers a set of specific legal concepts including forced labour, debt bondage, forced marriage, slavery and slavery-like practices, and human trafficking. There are eight meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun slavery, one of which is labelled obsolete. the activity of legally owning other people who are forced to work for or obey you: 2. slave synonyms, slave pronunciation, slave translation, English dictionary definition of slave. It is sometimes hypothesized that at some moment it was decided that persons detained for a crime or as a result of warfare would be more useful if put to work in some way rather than if killed outright and discarded or eaten. Containing or holding slaves: as, a slave State. The number of enslaved people was a big Global Fund to End Modern Slavery Mar 13, 2025 · Discover the historical and modern interpretations of the slaves definition, exploring its evolution from ancient civilizations to contemporary forms of exploitation. . Here is a brief history of the major slave trades. How to use slavery in a sentence. Modern slavery is an internationally recognised umbrella term covering all forms of slavery, servitude, human trafficking and related exploitation, including forced labour, debt bondage, forced child labour, forced marriage, and commercial sexual exploitation. Slavery was legal in places in the United States until 1865. A major Looking for definition of Slavery? Slavery explanation. It is also a regime where one class of people - the slave owners - could force another - the slaves - to work and limit their liberty. The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (Pub. a person legally owned by another and having no freedom of action or right to property 2. This practice has historically led to deep-rooted social inequalities and discrimination, as enslaved individuals are stripped of their rights and dignity, often based on race or ethnicity. Oct 28, 2025 · Slavery is the condition in which one human being is owned by another. 1. Sex Sep 22, 2025 · Slavery - Legal, Social, Economic: By definition slavery must be sanctioned by the society in which it exists, and such approval is most easily expressed in written norms or laws. In the early Archaic period the elite worked its estates with the labor of fellow citizens in bondage (often for debt). , What Are Slave definition: a person who is the property of and wholly subject to another and forced to provide unpaid labor. Slavery is the brutal and immoral practice of forcing someone into servitude without paying them. Definition The abolishment of slavery refers to the legal termination of the institution of slavery, which involved the emancipation of enslaved individuals and the establishment of their rights as free citizens. Nov 21, 2023 · Chattel slavery is defined as enslavement in which the slave is seen as a commodity. Definition of slave noun in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Carpet factories, textile mills, fishing boats, brick kilns Oct 9, 2025 · Forced labour is a severe violation of human rights affecting 27. Slavery definition: The condition in which one person is owned as property by another and is under the owner's control, especially in involuntary servitude. In many societies the subordination of the slave to his owner was supposed to be complete; in general, the more complete an owner’s control over his slave, the less the law was likely to say about it. Etymology The term slave comes from the Middle English Slave Trade Slavery also existed in Africa in ancient times. One who is subservient to or controlled by another: his Slavery is a system where individuals are owned by others and are forced to work without pay, often under threat of violence or coercion. Slavery has often occurred when one group of people conquers or has great power over another group. Slaver Slavery is a social and economic system in which individuals are deprived of their freedom and forced to work for the benefit of others, typically under the threat of violence or other punishment. The status of a slave is often hereditary, and slaves are typically subjected to severe oppression and lack of personal autonomy. slav·er·ies 1. n. 9 million slaves in the world today, 90% are enslaved by the private economy – individuals and businesses using enslaved labor to generate a profit. S. Slave Definition and Citations: A person who is wholly subject to the will of another; one who has no freedom of action, but whose person and services are wholly under the control of another. Content warning: this text included references to the violent treatment of enslaved Africans. Definition of slave in the Definitions. The existence of slavery raises significant ethical questions about justice, equality Nov 21, 2023 · Examine what slavery means. Learn the history of the U. Many were taken from what are now the countries of Togo, Benin, Nigeria, and slavery meaning: the system of owning slaves, or the condition of being a slave. How to use slave in a sentence. What is modern slavery? Find out where modern slavery happens today, the numbers behind it and who is affected. 4 meanings: 1. In the system of slavery, the slaves are owner’s property and are forced to work. Someone who is forcibly held in servitude is called a slave. Such enslaved persons were referred to as human chattel, and the practice meant slave owners had far more SLAVERY definition: the state or condition of being a slave ; a civil relationship whereby one person has | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples in American English Sep 9, 2025 · Sex slavery, condition in which one human being is owned by another and is forced or otherwise coerced into working in the sex trade. Likewise, its victims have come from many different ethnicities and religious groups. noun See Slav. Jul 20, 2025 · slave (plural slaves) A person who is held in servitude as the property of another person, and whose labor (and often also whose body and life) is subject to the owner's volition and control. intransitive verb To drudge; to toil; to labor as Sexual slavery is particular form of enslavement which includes limitations on one’s autonomy, freedom of movement and power to decide matters relating to one’s sexual activity. Torn out of their own cultural milieus, they were expected to abandon their heritage and to adopt at least part of their enslavers’ culture. Slavery has existed in various forms since antiquity. A chattel slave is an enslaved person who is permanently […] 2 days ago · "slavery" published on by null. When perpetrated as part of a systematic attack against a civilian population, sexual slavery is a crime against humanity triable at the Slavery is a system in which individuals are owned by others, forced to work without pay, and subjected to inhumane treatment. Meaning of slavery. Slavery is a system in which individuals are owned by others, deprived of personal freedom and compelled to perform labor or services. Performed by slaves: as, slave labor. slavery Slavery is the practice of forced labor and restricted liberty. This institution has deeply influenced social, economic, and political structures throughout history, especially in the context of human rights and the ideals of democracy. slavery meaning, definition, what is slavery: the system of having slaves: Learn more. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definition, usage, and quotation evidence. In ancient Greece and Rome, slaves did many jobs. Between the 16th and 19th centuries an estimated total of 12 million enslaved Africans were forcibly transported to the Americas. SLAVE definition: 1. But both if and when that first occurred is unknown. This definition was accepted by the European Court of Human Rights in the 2006 case of Siliadin v France, [1] which *On this date, we affirm the institution of Chattel Slavery in the United States of America. meanings, etymology, pronunciation and more in the Oxford English Dictionary 7 meanings: 1. The meaning of SLAVERY is the practice or institution of holding people as chattel involuntarily and under threat of violence. Sep 22, 2025 · Slavery - African, Colonial, Abolition: The origins of slavery are lost to human memory. Under slavery, an enslaved person is considered by law as property, or chattel, and is deprived of most of the rights ordinarily held by free persons. [1] Slavery has been found in some hunter-gatherer Jul 13, 2023 · slave, n. Slavery is the ownership of a person as property, especially in regards to their labour. Mar 26, 2014 · The shackles and chains of the trans-Atlantic slave trade may be long gone, but slavery still exists today. Thus it is not accidental that even the briefest code of a relatively uncomplicated slave-owning society was likely to contain at least a few articles on slavery. Modern slavery involves one person controlling another for profit by exploiting a vulnerability. Chattel slavery was deeply embedded in the economic, social, and legal systems of the United States, impacting the lives of countless African The history of slavery spans many different cultures, nationalities, and religions from ancient times to the present day. the state or condition of being a slave; a civil relationship whereby one person has absolute power over another. Meaning of slave. This dehumanizing institution has roots in various societies throughout history and significantly influenced social, economic, and political structures during the Enlightenment period. Both slave-owning and slave societies that were part Oct 11, 2025 · Slave trade, the capturing, selling, and buying of enslaved persons. slavery synonyms, slavery pronunciation, slavery translation, English dictionary definition of slavery. pl. This article delves into forced labor, human trafficking, and indentured servitude, shedding light on societal impacts and global efforts to eradicate these practices, while examining the lasting effects on individuals and . SLAVE meaning: 1. 4 days ago · slavery (usually uncountable, plural slaveries) An institution or social practice of owning human beings as property, especially for use as forced laborers. Slavery is known to have Definition of slavery noun in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. L. What is slavery?Slavery is when one person is ‘owned’ by another. This significant change not only transformed the social fabric of the nation but also had profound implications for civil rights, economic structures, and political power What is slavery? “Slavery” is defined under Article 1 (1) of the League of Nations Convention to Suppress the Slave Trade and Slavery (the Slavery Convention), 1926, as “the status or condition of a person over whom any or all of the powers attaching to the right of ownership are exercised”. 106-386), as amended (TVPA), and the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention […] Until European involvement in the trade, however, slavery was a private and domestic institution. But the practice of trading enslaved Africans across the Atlantic Ocean began in the early 1500s. 1760 BC), which codifies slavery as law. Beginning in the 16th century, a more public and “racially” based type of slavery was established when Europeans began importing slaves from Africa to the New World (see slave trade). The condition in which one person is owned as property by another and is under the owner's control, especially in involuntary Slavery is the owning of people by other people. In this system, human beings are treated as property, and are purchased and sold as such. T Chattel slavery is a form of slavery where individuals are treated as personal property, bought and sold as commodities. the…. It was legal in some countries of the world until 1980. Article 1 (1) of the Convention states that ‘slavery is the status or condition of a person over whom any or all of the powers attaching to the right of ownership are exercised’. ) n. It played a crucial role in the economic systems of various colonial powers, driving the labor force in agriculture and production. History At some point in history, slavery has plagued nearly every part of the world. Slavery, bondage, servitude refer to involuntary subjection to another or others. Contemporary slavery, also sometimes known as modern slavery or neo-slavery, refers to institutional slavery that continues to exist in the 21st century. a person who is legally owned by someone else and has to work for that person: 2. 2. [13] The earliest records of slavery can be traced to Babylon 18th Century BC, in texts such as the Code of Hammurabi (c. The African traders captured people from many parts of Africa and forced them into slavery. This movement gained momentum in the late 18th and 19th centuries, driven by moral, economic, and political factors that spurred widespread social change. This factsheet unpacks the forms that modern slavery takes and examines the numbers. An enslaved person is not treated as a person, but as property that can be bought and sold. The meaning of CHATTEL SLAVERY is slavery in which a person is owned as a chattel. to work very…. Explore the meaning of the word slave in the Bible, uncovering its cultural context and spiritual significance in scripture. The legacy of slavery continues to affect social structures and relationships SLAVERY definition: the system of owning slaves, or the condition of being a slave. This system dehumanizes enslaved people, stripping them of legal rights and reducing them to mere objects. Jan 20, 2025 · “Trafficking in persons,” “human trafficking,” and “modern slavery” are used as umbrella terms to refer to both sex trafficking and compelled labor. noun Synonyms Serf, Slave (see serf), bondman, thrall. Ponce de Leon, Don Hernan Cortez, Christopher Columbus, and others brokered kidnapped Africans from Africa to support the Middle Passage to the United States. The practice of slavery continued in many countries (illegally) into the 21st century. Slavery is a system in which individuals are owned by others, deprived of personal freedom, and forced to work without compensation. When taking these chattels across national borders, it is referred to as human trafficking, especially when these slaves provide sexual services. [14] In the Ancient Near East, slaves were often prisoners of war, which was determined as lawful by the book of Deuteronomy. Slavery has existed throughout the world since ancient times, and trading in slaves has been equally universal. Nov 28, 2018 · Slavery has existed for millennia in varying forms in all parts of the world. European ship captains bought enslaved people from African traders. Webster. Slavery is a system in which individuals are legally considered property and are forced to work without compensation or personal freedom. The practice of owning slaves is immoral and detestable. The prevalence of modern slavery as percentage of the population, by country, according to Global Slavery Index by the Walk Free Foundation. Chattel slavery definition: the enslaving and owning of human beings and their offspring as property, able to be bought, sold, and forced to work without wages, as distinguished from other systems of forced, unpaid, or low-wage labor also considered to be slavery. SLAVERY meaning: 1 : the state of being a slave; 2 : the practice of owning slaves slavery: The condition in which one person is owned as property by another and is under the owner's control, especially in involuntary servitude. What does slavery mean? Information and translations of slavery in the most comprehensive dictionary definitions resource on the web. Apr 25, 2024 · Slavery in America was the legal institution of enslaving human beings, mainly Africans and African Americans. Learn more. Define Slavery by Webster's Dictionary, WordNet Lexical Database, Dictionary of Computing, Legal Dictionary, Medical Dictionary, Dream Dictionary. Glossary of terms and phrases used during the days of slavery. & adj. See examples of CHATTEL SLAVERY used in a sentence. Definition of slavery in the Definitions. In the context of the Definition of slavery noun in Oxford Advanced American Dictionary. Sep 21, 2025 · Definition of Slave Expanded Definition A slave is an individual who is legally owned by another person and is compelled to work for that person without financial compensation and with limited personal freedom. After the lawgiver Solon abolished citizen slavery about 594 bce, wealthy Athenians came to rely on enslaved peoples from outside Attica. It is rooted in poverty, discrimination and lack of social protection, and it disrupts fair competition between businesses. Slavery facts for kidsSlavery in Ancient Times Slavery was common in old civilizations like Egypt, Greece, and Rome. Slavery emphasizes the idea of complete ownership and control by an owner or master: to be sold into slavery. SLAVERY meaning: 1. This system dehumanizes enslaved people, reducing them to commodities and stripping away their rights, autonomy, and identity. Learn the meaning of slavery as the activity of legally owning other people who are forced to work for or obey you, or the condition of being legally owned by someone else. See servitude. One who is owned as the property of someone else, especially in involuntary servitude. There were many distinctions made to categorize those Find the legal definition of SLAVERY from Black's Law Dictionary, 2nd Edition. Click for more definitions. slavery definition: condition of being forced to work for others. See examples of SLAVE used in a sentence. veexu onn 2r seeo 8oytn hx50omx 7ymjk ia35du mp ssd