What does slave mean?
A slave is, in the historical sense, a person who is owned by another person and compelled to work without freedom, autonomy, or the right to leave. The term is central to the history of colonialism, plantation economies, racial slavery, and struggles for emancipation, so it carries profound moral and historical weight. In modern usage, it most often appears in discussions of slavery’s history, legal definitions, or the experiences of formerly enslaved people. Writers often use “enslaved person” as a more humane and precise alternative. The word can also be used metaphorically to describe someone who appears entirely subject to another’s demands or to an excessive commitment, although such usage is derogatory and should be handled carefully. Understanding the word therefore requires recognizing both its specific historical meaning and the ethical questions surrounding the practice it names.
A person who is owned by another and compelled to work without freedom or the right to leave.
"The ship transported enslaved people across the Atlantic."
In current historical and legal discussion, “enslaved person” is often preferred as a more precise and humane formulation.
To work excessively or submit completely to another person’s control or demands; also, to behave in a servile manner.
"He spent the afternoon slaving over a report that was due the next morning."
This use is chiefly figurative and can be derogatory, especially when applied to a person.
The standard plural is slaves. In modern historical writing, “enslaved people” is often used instead when referring collectively to people held in slavery.
"The testimony described the hardships endured by slaves on the plantation."
The word now carries the history of an institution in which millions of people were treated as property, making its modern use as much a historical reference as a description.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does slave come from?
The English word comes through Medieval Latin from Latin sclavus, a term associated with the Byzantine Greek sklavos. The Greek word was probably used as a label for a Slav or a person from the Slavic-speaking lands, and during the medieval period the term came to mean a person held in bondage. The semantic development was strongly influenced by European slave-trading systems and the institutional enslavement of people, especially in the medieval Mediterranean and Atlantic worlds.
Related word forms
How slave is actually used
In contemporary historical, legal, and educational contexts, “enslaved person” is often preferred when referring to a human being, because it emphasizes the person’s humanity rather than a legal status framed as ownership. The older noun remains common when discussing the institution, legal history, or the experiences of enslaved people. The metaphorical sense is generally derogatory and is often perceived as dehumanizing when applied to people.