Webster's English Dictionary

Enter the word to look up:

villein

vil.lein \'vil-*n, 'vil-.a-n, vil-'a-n\ n [ME vilain, vilein - more at 
   VILLAIN] 1: a free common villager or village peasant of any of the feudal 
   classes l ower in rank than the thane 2: a free peasant of a feudal class 
   lower than a sokeman and higher than a  cotter 3: an unfree peasant 
   standing as the slave of his feudal lord but free in h is legal relations 
   with respect to all others