indenture

UK: /ɪnˈdɛntʃə^r/ US: (in den′chər)

Inflections of 'indenture' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

indentures

v 3rd person singular

indenturing

v pres p

indentured

v past

indentured

v past p

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

in•den•ture  (in den′chər), n., v., -tured, -tur•ing. 
n. 

1. a deed or agreement executed in two or more copies with edges correspondingly indented as a means of identification.
2. Law any deed, written contract, or sealed agreement.
3. Law a contract by which a person, as an apprentice, is bound to service.
4. Business any official or formal list, certificate, etc., authenticated for use as a voucher or the like.
5. Business the formal agreement between a group of bondholders and the debtor as to the terms of the debt.
6. indentation.

v.t. 

7. Law to bind by indenture, as an apprentice.
8. [Archaic.] to make a depression in;
   indent;
   wrinkle;
   furrow.

• Medieval Latin indentūra. See indent¹, -ure
• Middle English 1275–1325

in•den′ture•ship′, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

indenture / ɪnˈdɛntʃə/ noun

1. any deed, contract, or sealed agreement between two or more parties
2. (formerly) a deed drawn up in duplicate, each part having correspondingly indented edges for identification and security
3. (often plural) a contract between an apprentice and his or her master
4. a less common word for indentation

verb

1. (intransitive) to enter into an agreement by indenture
2. (transitive) to bind (an apprentice, servant, etc) by indenture

inˈdentureˌship noun