corvée

1. Labor exacted by a local authority for little or no pay or instead of taxes and used especially in the maintenance of roads.
2. A day of unpaid work required of a vassal by a feudal lord.

Origin:

Origin: French corvée

Origin: and Middle English corve

Origin: , both from Old French corovee

Origin: , from Medieval Latin (opera) corrogāta, (work) requested

Origin: , neuter pl. of Latin corrogātus

Origin: , past participle of corrogāre, to summon together

Origin: : com-, com-

Origin: + rogāre, to ask; see reg- in Indo-European roots