French Conversation · Level 3
88 words
French word
esclave
Pronunciation
IPA/ɛsklav/
Meaning
- noun (m./f.)slave
Example
Ne sois pas l'esclave de tes émotions.
Don't be a slave to your emotions.
More examples
Il travaille comme un esclave pour payer ses dettes.
He works like a slave to pay his debts.
Core concept
A person whose freedom and decisions are controlled by a master, whether literally or figuratively.
Common phrases
être l'esclave de
be a slave to ___
travailler comme un esclave
work like a slave
esclave du travail
a slave to work
Similar words
serviteur: A paid worker who helps and provides personal service to another person.
domestique: A household worker hired to clean, cook, and perform other domestic tasks.
prisonnier: A person held in confinement and unable to leave a particular place.
otage: A person held captive and forced to comply with another party's demands.
Definition in French
Personne réduite à l'état de dépendance ou de propriété d'un maître, dépourvue d'autonomie personnelle et soumise à des ordres.
Word origin
The French noun esclave developed from Old French esclave and Medieval Latin sclavus, which arose from the name of the Slavic peoples in a historical context of enslavement.
Usage tips
- The construction être esclave de means being controlled by something, as in être esclave de ses émotions; de is required before the controlling force.