slaves
n. countablen. people who are owned by someone else and forced to work for no money. They have no freedom and cannot leave their jobs.
n. individuals held in a state of servitude as the legal property of another person. Historically and legally defined by the total absence of personal autonomy and the extraction of forced labor.
The king kept many slaves to build his massive palace.
Historians study how slaves in the ancient world managed to maintain their cultural traditions despite their lack of freedom.
The abolitionist movement sought to dismantle the legal frameworks that allowed humans to be treated as chattel slaves, arguing for universal inherent rights.
Plural form of 'slave'. While historically used as a primary descriptor, modern academic style often prefers 'enslaved people' to emphasize the personhood of the individuals.