a serf in the latter period of the Roman Empire or in the early feudal period
Word origin
[1885–90; ‹ L colōnus inhabitant of a colony, tenant-farmer, farmer, deriv. of colere to inhabit, till, cultivate; cf. cult, cultivate]This word is first recorded in the period 1885–90. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: classified, lineup, reactor, retread, upsweep