From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishservitudeser‧vi‧tude /ˈsɜːvɪtjuːd $ ˈsɜːrvɪtuːd/ noun [uncountable] formalOBEYthe condition of being a slave or being forced to obey someone elseSYN slaveryExamples from the Corpusservitude• Those who choseservitude changed to do so.• Both his economicindependence and his essentialservitude were thus, at the same time, guaranteed.• During his servitudeApollo made friends with the household, especially with the head of it and his wife Alcestis.• Human servitude will disappear, for servitors in the form of machines, powered by steam and electricity, will take over.• The 13th Amendmentforbadeslavery and involuntaryservitude.• Passing an amendment to end slavery and actually banishing involuntary servitude are two different things.• Justice Day sentenced them both to 20 years' penalservitude.• Sheldukher, absorbed in his map, seemed not to have noticed its newly acquired air of placidservitude.• Many of the most apparently distinguishedhonours are a reward for little more than longevity or political servitude.Originservitude(1400-1500)Old FrenchLatinservitudo, from servus; → SERVE1