indenture

C1 Topic:People & Society

US /ɪnˈdɛn.ʃɝ/ UK /ɪnˈdɛntʃə/ See IPA manual

Freq #112852

Meanings

1

noun
a formal contract binding a person to work for another for a fixed period, especially as an apprentice or servant

The apprentice signed an indenture requiring seven years of service.
2

noun
a formal agreement stating the terms of a bond or other debt

The bond indenture sets limits on how much additional debt the company may issue.
3

verb
to bind someone by contract to work for a fixed period

The orphan was indentured to a printer until the age of twenty-one.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a formal contract binding a... contract deed agreement

2 noun · a formal agreement stating... bond agreementdeed of trust

3 verb · to bind someone by contract... bind apprentice

Opposites

release emancipate

Word family

Forms indentures

Derived forms indentureeindentureshipreindenture

Related forms apprenticebondservantindent

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman endenture and Old French endenteure, from endenter, 'to notch or dent.' Duplicate copies of an agreement were once written on one sheet and separated along an irregular toothed cut; matching the edges authenticated them. The contract, and later the labor relationship it created, took its name from that indentation.

Topics

People & Society Register & Style

External links

# indenture

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /ɪnˈdɛn.ʃɝ/
**IPA (UK):** /ɪnˈdɛntʃə/
**Frequency rank:** 112852

## Meanings
1. a formal contract binding a person to work for another for a fixed period, especially as an apprentice or servant
2. a formal agreement stating the terms of a bond or other debt
3. to bind someone by contract to work for a fixed period

## Examples
- The apprentice signed an indenture requiring seven years of service.
- The bond indenture sets limits on how much additional debt the company may issue.
- The orphan was indentured to a printer until the age of twenty-one.

## Synonyms
- contract
- deed
- agreement

## Antonyms
- release
- emancipate

## Derived Forms
- indenturee
- indentureship
- reindenture

## Related Forms
- apprentice
- bondservant
- indent

## Etymology
From Anglo-Norman endenture and Old French endenteure, from endenter, 'to notch or dent.' Duplicate copies of an agreement were once written on one sheet and separated along an irregular toothed cut; matching the edges authenticated them. The contract, and later the labor relationship it created, took its name from that indentation.

## Topics
- People & Society
- Register & Style

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