Helot

[ hel-uh t, hee-luh t ]
/ ˈhɛl ət, ˈhi lət /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR Helot ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a member of the lowest class in ancient Laconia, constituting a body of serfs who were bound to the land and were owned by the state. Compare Perioeci, Spartiate.
(lowercase) a serf or slave; bondman.

Origin of Helot

1570–80; < Latin hēlōtēs (plural) < Greek heílōtes

OTHER WORDS FROM Helot

hel·ot·age, noun

Words related to helot

serf, liege, slave, dependent, thrall, beneficiary, peasant, subordinate, varlet, tenant, subject, liegeman, bondman, esne

Example sentences from the Web for helot

British Dictionary definitions for helot

Helot
/ (ˈhɛlət, ˈhiː-) /

noun

(in ancient Greece, esp Sparta) a member of the class of unfree men above slaves owned by the state
(usually not capital) a serf or slave

Word Origin for Helot

C16: from Latin Hēlotēs, from Greek Heilōtes, alleged to have meant originally: inhabitants of Helos, who, after its conquest, were serfs of the Spartans