fealty

American  

[fee-uhl-tee] / ˈfi əl ti /

noun

plural

fealties

1. History/Historical.

   1. fidelity to a lord.

   2. the obligation or the engagement to be faithful to a lord, usually sworn to by a vassal.

2. fidelity; faithfulness.

   Synonyms:

   devotion, loyalty

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fealty British  

/ ˈfiːəltɪ /

noun

1. (in feudal society) the loyalty sworn to one's lord on becoming his vassal See homage

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Other Word Forms

• nonfealty noun
• unfealty noun

Etymology

Origin of fealty

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English feute, feaute, fealtye, from Anglo-French, Old French feauté, fealté, from Latin fidēlitāt- (stem of fidēlitās ) fidelity; internal -au-, -al- from feal, reshaping (by substitution of -al- -al ¹ ) of fe(d)eil, from Latin fidēlis

Example Sentences

Again, the public should have heard more of this outrageous display of fealty, but it got very little coverage.

From Salon

All of them were there to demonstrate their fealty to the man who would be king.

From Salon

The segues between tracks are seamless, in no small part due to Rodríguez’s immaculate production and fealty to the tempo of the times.

From Los Angeles Times

The Disney adults who put out the mouse signal showed their collective power — not one of fealty to a corporation, but of belief that free speech was part of the magic in the Magic Kingdom.

From Salon

For decades these animals – lions, tigers, pumas, cheetahs and jaguars – have been a sign of power, status and even political fealty in the country.

From BBC

Related Words

• faithfulness
• loyalty