indenture

1 of 2

noun

in·​den·​ture in-ˈden-chər How to pronounce indenture (audio)
1
a(1)
: a document or a section of a document that is indented
(2)
: a formal or official document usually executed in two or more copies
(3)
: a contract binding one person to work for another for a given period of time
often used in plural
b
: a formal certificate (such as an inventory or voucher) prepared for purposes of control
c
: a document stating the terms under which a security (such as a bond) is issued
2
3

indenture

2 of 2

verb

indentured; indenturing in-ˈden-ch(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce indenture (audio)

transitive verb

: to bind (someone, such as an apprentice) by or as if by indentures

Examples of indenture in a Sentence

Noun the dropped hammer left an indenture in the floor made a small indenture to mark the spot where the plank was to be sawed
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
This smashes every indenture that binds a Negro child other than as a white child should be bound! Anna Deavere Smith, The Atlantic, 13 Nov. 2023 In the mid–seventeenth century, fearful that the growing class of temporary and former servants might displace them, white property owners passed laws that phased out indentures for white people and established a system of chattel slavery (permanent and heritable) for Black people. Scott W. Stern, The New Republic, 26 June 2023 Instead, Said found a Russian to take over his indenture, Nicholas Vassilievich Trubetzkoy, a 22-year-old godson of Czar Nicholas, who taught him Russian. Martha Anne Toll, Washington Post, 30 Mar. 2023 Webster imagines her ancestor’s work as a milkmaid, the trial and her ultimate indenture on a plantation in Maryland where Molly met Bana’ka, the enslaved man who became the father of her children. Maud Newton, Washington Post, 21 Mar. 2023 Kaz has promised to buy her indenture and set her free. Town & Country, 18 Mar. 2023 Although most terms of indenture lasted for as long as seven years, de Sousa earned his freedom in 1638 by learning to be a fur trader and a sailor. Kevin Dayhoff, baltimoresun.com/maryland/carroll, 11 June 2021 Chatterton was accused of plagiarism and soon lost his indenture. Thomas Chatterton Williams, Harper's Magazine, 25 May 2021 Possibly the most glaring effect of Haskell’s absence lies in Inej’s indenture. Devon Maloney, Vulture, 23 Apr. 2021
Verb
Families that manage to collect the ransom money frequently do so by selling or mortgaging their few possessions, indenturing family members, or worse. Bruno Stagno-Ugarte, Foreign Affairs, 21 Oct. 2015 He was indentured to pirates until his 21st birthday but was born Feb. 29, so he was stuck with them for 84 years! Jeff Suess, The Enquirer, 27 Feb. 2024 As the head chef, Posey worked 16-hour days and oversaw a kitchen staff of free and indentured white people. Tori Latham, Robb Report, 20 Feb. 2024 Posey mastered these diverse ingredients while working 16-hour days, and managing a kitchen staff of free and indentured white people. Ramin Ganeshram, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2024 My people are the unnamed, the native and the indentured, the characters who are trapped within the orbit of Michael’s hateful dictators, two black holes who think of others only as movable pieces in a numbers game of harrowing struggle. Hazlitt, 27 Sep. 2023 There he is indentured to a series of masters, all demanding, one brutal. Katherine A. Powers, Washington Post, 4 May 2023 In response to the delays and denials to requests for information, The Republic employed sophisticated computational analysis to reveal a system that indentures prisoners in order to increase profits for private industry, including friends and financial donors to former Arizona Gov. Dough Ducey. Michael Braga, The Arizona Republic, 22 Mar. 2023 Many inns and taverns — including Union Mills — relied on African Americans who were enslaved or indentured to prepare meals and maintain the household. Samuel M. Riley, Baltimore Sun, 12 Mar. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'indenture.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English endenture, from Anglo-French, from endenter

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Verb

1676, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of indenture was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near indenture

Cite this Entry

“Indenture.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/indenture. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

indenture

1 of 2 noun
in·​den·​ture in-ˈden-chər How to pronounce indenture (audio)
1
: a written agreement : contract
2
: a contract by which one person is made to work for another for a stated period
often used in plural

indenture

2 of 2 verb
indentured; indenturing
: to bind by indentures
indenture an apprentice

Legal Definition

indenture

noun
in·​den·​ture in-ˈden-chər How to pronounce indenture (audio)
1
: a document stating the terms under which a security (as a debenture or other bond) is issued
specifically, in bankruptcy law : a document (as a mortgage or deed of trust) under which there is outstanding security constituting a claim against a debtor, a claim secured by a lien on any of the debtor's property, or an equity security of the debtor
2
: a deed or other document to which two or more parties (as both grantor and grantee) are bound
Etymology

Noun

Old French endenture an indented document, from endenter to indent (divide a document into sections with irregular edges that can be matched for authentication), from en- thoroughly + dent tooth

More from Merriam-Webster on indenture

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!