Villein definition, a member of a class of partially free persons under the feudal system, who were serfs with respect to their lord but had the rights and …

Dec 19, 2019 · How to say villein in English? Pronunciation of villein with 4 audio pronunciations, 6 synonyms, 2 meanings, 1 translation and more for villein.

noun (in medieval England) a feudal tenant entirely subject to a lord or manor to whom he paid dues and services in return for land. ‘The court customary was the court for unfree tenants or villeins and was presided over by the lord's steward or bailiff.’ More example sentences Pronunciation villein /ˈvɪlɪn/ /ˈvɪleɪn/ Origin

villein: 1 n (Middle Ages) a person who is bound to the land and owned by the feudal lord Synonyms: helot , serf Types: cotter , cottier a medieval …

villein. or villain (ˈvɪlən ) noun. (in medieval Europe) a peasant personally bound to his lord, to whom he paid dues and services, sometimes commuted to rents, in return for his land. Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers.

vil•lein. (ˈvɪl ən, -eɪn, vɪˈleɪn) n. (in the feudal system) a member of a class of persons who were serfs with respect to their lord but had the rights of freemen with …

In modern French vilain means "ugly" or "naughty". In Italian, Villano means "rude" or "ill-mannered". For the Spanish Villano, the RAE preserves the definition of "neighbour or inhabitant of a village or town", but it also accepts the derogatory use, which is very similar to the Modern English villain . Villeinage [ edit]

It tends to keep the literal, historical sense of the word and let the pejorative meanings go with villain; Century Dictionary writes that "the forms villain, villein, etc., are historically one, and the attempt to differentiate them in meaning is idle," but Fowler finds this "a useful piece of differentiation." Related: Villeinage.