colonus

noun

co·​lo·​nus kə-ˈlō-nəs How to pronounce colonus (audio)
plural coloni kə-ˈlō-ˌnī How to pronounce colonus (audio)
-(ˌ)nē
: a tenant farmer in the later Roman Empire who was bound to the land and obliged to pay a rent usually in produce

Word History

Etymology

Latin, literally, farmer

First Known Use

1857, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of colonus was in 1857

Dictionary Entries Near colonus

colonoscopy

colonus

colony

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Colonus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/colonus. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

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More from Merriam-Webster on colonus

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about colonus

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