criados

Cria dos", or criados, is a historical Portuguese term referring to domestic servants who worked in a household. The feminine form is criada, and the term can be used for both enslaved and free workers, depending on the historical period and local law. In everyday modern Portuguese, crioudo is largely archaic, with empregado doméstico or doméstico as the common designation for a household worker.

Etymology and scope: The word derives from criar, meaning to raise or to rear, and originally signified someone brought up within a household. Over time, it came to denote a person attached to a residence to perform duties for the family. In Iberian and Brazilian contexts, the category encompassed a range of positions from personal attendant to kitchen staff, cleaners, and messengers.

Historical context: In Portugal and Brazil, criados were prominent in the social fabric of the early modern and colonial eras. In Brazil, the term increasingly intersected with the institution of slavery, as many domestic workers were enslaved. With abolition and subsequent social reforms, the term lost standing in everyday language and was gradually replaced by terms such as empregado doméstico. In contemporary usage, criar is more often found in historical, literary, or formal discussions.

Roles and social nuances: Cria dos could hold various roles, including criado de confiança (trusted servant), criado de recados (messenger), or simply household staff. The social dynamics surrounding criados have been a subject of literary and historical study, illustrating class relations and labor conditions in past societies.

Modern usage: Today, the term crioudo is largely considered outdated for referring to living workers. When describing current domestic labor, standard terms like empregado doméstico are preferred. The word remains visible in historical writing and fiction.