vassal

[ vas-uhl ]

noun

1. (in the feudal system) a person granted the use of land, in return for rendering homage, fealty, and usually military service or its equivalent to a lord or other superior; feudal tenant.
2. a person holding some similar relation to a superior; a subject, subordinate, follower, or retainer.
3. a servant or slave.

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of a vassal.
2. having the status or position of a vassal.

vassal

/ ˈvæsəl /

noun

1. (in feudal society) a man who entered into a personal relationship with a lord to whom he paid homage and fealty in return for protection and often a fief. A great vassal was in vassalage to a king and a rear vassal to a great vassal
2. 1. a person, nation, etc, in a subordinate, suppliant, or dependent position relative to another
   2. ( as modifier )

      vassal status

adjective

1. of or relating to a vassal

vassal

1. Under feudalism , a subordinate who placed himself in service to a lord in return for the lord's protection.

Derived Forms

• ˈvassal-less, adjective

Other Words From

• vassal·less adjective
• non·vassal noun
• sub·vassal noun
• under·vassal noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of vassal¹

1300–50; Middle English < Middle French < Medieval Latin vassallus, equivalent to vass ( us ) servant (< Celtic; compare Welsh gwas young man, Irish foss servant) + -allus noun suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of vassal¹

C14: via Old French from Medieval Latin vassallus, from vassus servant, of Celtic origin; compare Welsh gwas boy, Old Irish foss servant

Example Sentences

He also characterized the antebellum North as “the mere cringing vassal of the South” and a section of the country that contained “lords” and “nobles” of its own that comprised an “aristocracy of the skin.”

From Salon

He’d like to return us to the Middle Ages where he and people like Elon Musk ruled as King while the rest of us remain vassals to the throne.

From Salon

Tbilisi Mayor and Georgian Dream general secretary Kakha Kaladze echoed his message, accusing "so-called friends of Georgia" of directly interfering in Saturday's forthcoming elections: "We refuse to be anyone’s vassal, following the wishes of others."

From BBC

Sawai was magnificent for the way she deftly handled her character’s many facets — vassal, translator, warrior, lover, avenger.

From Los Angeles Times

He also said his party, which favours withdrawing the UK from Nato, would end “subservience” to the US, describing the UK as an American "vassal state".

From BBC

Related Words

• servant