Corvée denotes unpaid labor required from a feudal vassal to their lord, or labor exacted by authorities instead of taxes. The term is derived from the Latin word 'corrogata,' meaning to collect or requisition.
Corvée refers to unpaid labor owed by a feudal vassal to a lord or exacted by authorities in lieu of taxes, originating from Latin 'corrogata' (to collect).
| Word | corvée |
|---|---|
| Date | June 11, 2008 |
| Type | noun |
| Syllables | KOR-vay |
| Etymology | Under the Roman Empire, certain classes of people owed personal services to the state or to private proprietors. For example, labor might be requisitioned for the maintenance of the postal systems of various regions, or landed proprietors might require tenant farmers and persons freed from slavery to perform unpaid labor on their estates. The feudal system of corvée -- regular work that vassals owed their lords -- developed from this Roman tradition. We borrowed the word "corvée" from French in the 14th century, and it ultimately traces back to the Latin word "corrogata," meaning "to collect" or "to requisition." By the 18th century, "corvée" was also being used for the unpaid or partially paid labor public authorities exacted in lieu of taxes for the construction or repair of highways, bridges, or canals. |
| Examples | "He was also entitled to . . . district corvées which helped to maintain, repair, and defend royal property. . .." (Bernard F. Reilly, The Medieval Spains) |
| Definition | 1 : unpaid labor (as toward constructing roads) due from a feudal vassal to his lord 2 : labor exacted in lieu of taxes by public authorities especially for highway construction or repair |
Tags: wordoftheday::noun
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