helot

noun

hel·​ot ˈhe-lət How to pronounce helot (audio)
plural helots
1
Helot : a member of a class of serfs in ancient Sparta
2
: someone held in forced servitude : an enslaved person or serf
helotry noun

Examples of helot in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The 300 Spartans stood at the head of a force of approximately 7,000 other Greeks, not to mention their own helot slaves, who fought as light infantry. Myke Cole, The New Republic, 1 Aug. 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'helot.' 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

Latin Helotes, plural, from Greek Heilōtes

First Known Use

1579, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of helot was in 1579

Dictionary Entries Near helot

Cite this Entry

“Helot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/helot. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

helot

noun
hel·​ot ˈhel-ət How to pronounce helot (audio)
: serf, slave

More from Merriam-Webster on helot

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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