servantryn.
/ˈsəːv(ə)ntri/, U.S. /ˈsərvəntri/ΘΚΠ
society > authority > subjection > service > servant > [noun] > condition or occupation of
servicec1300
servantship1560
servantry1615
servitude1651
servitorship1824
1615 E. Weston Triall Christian Truht: 2nd Pt. ii. 13 Antichrist doeth..intende, by seruantrie of the protestant, to effect towe thinges..; The one impious idolatrie, the other barbarous ferocitie.
2. Servants (sometimes spec. the servants of a particular household or establishment) considered collectively; servants as a class.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > subjection > service > servant > [noun] > servants collectively
meiniea1382
varletrya1616
servitude1667
servantry1784
ha'-folk1786
servantdom1853
society > authority > subjection > service > servant > [noun] > servants collectively > of a family or household
hirdc888
peoplec1330
family1388
folk1577
serviturea1674
familia1729
servantry1784
help1850
1784 Ann. Agric. 1 227 The populousness of Flanders considered, the army receives from it very few mercenaries. The servantry too, in most of the Flemish towns, is drawn from other countries.
1860 W. H. Russell My Diary in India 1858–9 II. 205 The male servantry summoned to do homage by the blast of the cows' horns.
1940 Amer. Weekly 1 Dec. 8/5 He carried her into the house and amidst a swirl of alarmed servantry up the stairs.
1990 T. Lummis & J. Marsh Woman's Domain vi. 130 The Fetherstonhaugh-Bullock alliance was not unique, for there were always cross-class marriages to scandalize the aristocracy and excite the servantry.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2021; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1615