corvée Hear it!

corvée definition

cor·vée (kôr vā′)

  1. the enforced and unpaid labor of a peasant for his feudal lord
  2. forced labor exacted by a government, as for the construction of public works

Etymology: Fr < OFr corovee < ML corrogata (opera), required (work) < pp. of L corrogare, to bring together (by entreaty) < com-, intens. + rogare, to ask: see rogation

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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