Simple English definitions for legal terms
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Term: COTTIER
Definition: A cottier is a person who lives in a small cottage. In the past, it referred to a serf who lived in a cottage, but now it can mean a day laborer or someone who lives in a rural area. In Irish law, a cottier is a tenant who leases a house and a small plot of land, usually two acres or less.
Definition: A cottier is a historical term used to describe a serf who lived in a cottage or a smallholder who leased a house and a small plot of land in Ireland. Over time, the term has come to refer to a day laborer or a rural dweller.
These examples illustrate how the term cottier has evolved over time to describe different types of rural dwellers, from serfs in medieval Europe to smallholders in Ireland to modern-day farm laborers. The term is no longer commonly used, but it provides insight into the historical and social context of rural life.