What does indenture mean?
An indenture is a formal written agreement, most commonly one that binds an apprentice to an employer for a period of training and service. The term also has a broader legal use for certain contracts, including agreements concerning property or business rights. In modern descriptions, an indentured worker is someone who has contracted to work for another person, sometimes under harsh or coercive conditions. Historically, indentures were often made in duplicate so that each party retained a copy; the document’s cut or indented edges made it easier to detect substitution or forgery. Today, the word sounds formal and somewhat archaic, but it remains important in legal, historical, and discussions of labor exploitation. In the verb form, 'to indenture' means to bind someone through a formal agreement, especially as an apprentice.
A formal written agreement, especially one binding an apprentice to an employer for a specified period.
"He completed his indenture and began working independently."
This is the dominant sense. The word is formal and is especially associated with legal, historical, and apprenticeship contexts.
To bind someone to an employer or training arrangement by means of a formal agreement, especially as an apprentice.
"The guild indentured the boy for seven years."
This verb is less common in everyday speech and is mainly used in historical, legal, or labor-related contexts.
The plural is used when referring to multiple formal agreements or apprenticeship contracts.
"The archive contains several indentures between apprentices and master craftsmen."
The word originally referred to a document cut with notches, a feature that helped reveal a forged or replaced contract.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does indenture come from?
Indenture comes through Anglo-French from Latin indentare, meaning 'to indent' or 'to cut with notches.' In Middle English, the word referred to a formal written agreement whose distinctive notched or indented edge helped identify matching copies. The modern sense of binding someone to an employer developed from the use of such documents in apprenticeships. The word is related to indent, indentation, and the verb indent.
Related word forms
How indenture is actually used
The word is most common in legal and historical contexts. In modern usage, 'indentured servant' may refer to a person bound to work, sometimes under coercive or exploitative conditions, while 'indentured' as an adjective can describe a worker serving under such an agreement. The phrase 'marriage indenture' is chiefly historical.
Easily confused with indenture
An indenture is a formal agreement binding a person to an employer or apprenticeship, whereas an indentation is a formal agreement involving a person who is legally regarded as the property of another.
An indent is a written order or a mark of indentation, while an indenture is a contract or the act of binding someone by contract.