metayer

/ˌmɛtɪˈɛr/

Definitions

1. noun

A sharecropper, especially one in medieval France who had use of land in exchange for a share of the crop.

“The historian studied the role of metayers in medieval agriculture.”

2. noun

A tenant farmer who works a plot of land in exchange for a share of the crop, especially in feudal times.

“The metayer system was widely used in medieval Europe.”

Synonyms

  • sharecropper
  • tenant farmer

Antonyms

  • freeholder
  • landowner