freedman

/ˈfridmən/
noun
  1. A person who has been freed from slavery.
    • After the Civil War, many freedmen started new lives as farmers and business owners.
    • The freedman opened a small shop in town and became a respected community member.
    • Historians study the lives of freedmen to understand the challenges of Reconstruction.
  2. In ancient Rome, a former slave who has been granted freedom and certain legal rights.
    • A Roman freedman could become a successful merchant or even a government official.
    • The emperor's advisor was a freedman who had earned his master's trust.
    • Many freedmen in Rome continued to work for their former owners as paid laborers.
Antonyms