feudal
Americanadjective
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of, relating to, or like the feudal system, or its political, military, social, and economic structure.
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of or relating to the Middle Ages.
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of, relating to, or of the nature of a fief or fee.
a feudal estate.
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of or relating to the holding of land in a fief or fee.
adjective
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of, resembling, relating to, or characteristic of feudalism or its institutions
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of, characteristic of, or relating to a fief Compare allodial
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derogatory old-fashioned, reactionary, etc
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of feudal
From the Medieval Latin word feudālis, dating back to 1605–15. See feud 2, -al 1
Explanation
Anything feudal relates to the medieval system of feudalism — where the nobility owned the land while everyone else worked it. It was no fun to be a lowly serf in the feudal system. Though it has roots in Latin, the adjective feudal (and its relative feudalism) were created by historians to describe the social system after it actually took place. Feudal may both look and sound similar to feud as in a long standing fight, but it’s not actually related — unless the argument happened to take place in medieval Europe.
Vocabulary lists containing feudal
"The Most Dangerous Game" by Richard Connell
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Vocabulary from the Magna Carta on its 800th Anniversary
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"Democracy in America, Vol. 1" by Alexis de Tocqueville, Introduction–Chapter 5
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
To understand the complexities of today's leasehold system, described by many, including Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook, as "feudal", we have to go back almost 1,000 years.
From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026
“There’s a desire in Rhaenyra, I think we’ve seen on repeat, to actually dismantle some of the feudal hierarchy and actually to say to her subjects, ‘You and I are the same,’” says D’Arcy.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 17, 2026
Baelor, a politician and a feudal dynast, might understand on some level that by fighting with Dunk, he is, in his own way, upholding the dignity of the crown and keeping the commoners placated.
From Salon ● Feb. 25, 2026
The powers of a landowner can range from the almost full sovereignty enjoyed by a mighty feudal noble to the essentially nonexistent rights I have over the protected swampland outside my window.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 31, 2025
Look at the sporting etiquette, according to which Henry had to withdraw from a siege as soon as his enemy Louis joined the defenders inside the town, because Louis was his feudal overlord.
From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
