corvee - Wiktionary, the free dictionary (original) (raw)

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

From French corvée, from Late Latin conrogāta, derived from Latin conrogāre (“call together by entreaty”).

corvee (countable and uncountable, plural corvees)

  1. Unpaid labor required by a feudal lord.
  2. Labor, especially for roads or dams, in lieu of taxes.

unpaid labor required by a feudal lord

labor in lieu of taxes

Borrowed from French corvée, from Middle French corvee, from Old French corvee, from Late Latin conrogāta. Doublet of karwei.

corvee f or n (uncountable, no diminutive)

  1. household chores, especially at a camp or barracks
  2. (historical) corvee labour