Definition

Noun: * A person who legally owns one or more enslaved people: This term refers specifically to an individual who has legal possession and control over other human beings as property, a practice historically associated with systems of chattel slavery.

Usage

The term "slave owner" is used to describe a person within a societal or legal framework that permits the ownership of people. It is a historical and legal descriptor. * It functions as a compound noun where "slave" modifies "owner" to specify the type of property owned. * The term carries significant historical and moral weight, often used in discussions of history, ethics, and social systems.

Examples

• The plantation's slave owner was responsible for the living conditions of hundreds of people.
• Historical records list him as a slave owner in the 1850 census.
• The novel examines the complex psychology of a slave owner.

Advanced Usage

• The term is often analyzed in academic contexts concerning the economics, social structures, and legacies of slavery.
• In modern discourse, it is frequently used critically to highlight the power dynamics and inherent injustice of the institution.

Variants and Related Words

• Slaveholder (noun): A direct synonym for "slave owner," often used in formal or historical texts.
• Enslaver (noun): A person who enslaves others; this term can emphasize the action of enslaving rather than just the state of ownership.
• Master/Mistress (noun): Terms used historically within the system of slavery to denote a slave owner, carrying specific social and contextual connotations of authority and domination.

Synonyms

• Slaveholder
• Enslaver

Notes

• "Slave owner" is a fixed compound noun. The related activity or system is described by the separate term "slave ownership."
• The term is specific and should not be conflated with broader terms like "employer" or "landowner," as it denotes the legal ownership of persons, not just their labor or tenancy.

Noun

1. someone who holds slaves