Serf – A class of people in medieval Europe who, although they were not slaves, had to work on their master's land and could not leave without permission

(Pronounced surf)

To remember the definition of the word serf, use the following mnemonic:

Servants worked on the turf (serf) and the soil of their masters land in medieval times.

Examples of serf in a sentence

The new lord that inherited the land treated the serfs much better than his father before him. 

The lord had nowhere near enough serfs to properly maintain his land, which lead to a poor harvest. 

He'd had enough of his life as a serf, so he stole a horse and rode as far away as he could.