liege

¹

[ leej, leezh ]

noun

1. a feudal lord entitled to allegiance and service.
2. a feudal vassal or subject.

adjective

1. owing primary allegiance and service to a feudal lord.
2. pertaining to the relation between a feudal vassal and lord.
3. loyal; faithful:

   the liege adherents of a cause.

Liège

²

[ lee-eyzh; French lyezh ]

noun

1. a city in E Belgium, on the Meuse River: one of the first cities attacked in World War I.
2. a province in E Belgium. 1,521 sq. mi. (3,940 sq. km). : Liège.

liege

¹

/ liːdʒ /

adjective

1. (of a lord) owed feudal allegiance (esp in the phrase liege lord )
2. (of a vassal or servant) owing feudal allegiance

   a liege subject

3. of or relating to the relationship or bond between liege lord and liegeman

   liege homage

4. faithful; loyal

noun

1. a liege lord
2. a liegeman or true subject

Liège

²

/ lɪˈeɪʒ; ljɛʒ /

noun

1. a province of E Belgium: formerly a principality of the Holy Roman Empire, much larger than the present-day province. Pop: 1 029 605 (2004 est). Area: 3877 sq km (1497 sq miles)
2. a city in E Belgium, capital of Liège province: the largest French-speaking city in Belgium; river port and industrial centre. Pop: 185 488 (2004 est)

Word History and Origins

Origin of liege¹

1250–1300; Middle English < Old French li ( e ) ge ≪ Germanic *lēt- vassal + Latin -icus -ic; compare Medieval Latin lētī barbarians allowed to settle on Roman land (< Germanic; perhaps akin to let ¹ ), laeticus for *lēticus, derivative of lētī

Word History and Origins

Origin of liege¹

C13: from Old French lige, from Medieval Latin līticus, from lītus, laetus serf, of Germanic origin

Example Sentences

A century later the body was removed from Liège and reinterred in the abbey church of the Benedictine monks of Ardennes.

From Project Gutenberg

And at Liège he was buried, but thirteen years afterwards his body was disinterred, and lo!

From Project Gutenberg

In 1659 he started on a tour to Italy, but at Bordeaux he fell in love with a girl from Liège, whom he married.

From Project Gutenberg

The truth is still as true as it was at Liège that the Belgians held up the enemy till France was ready to receive them.

From Project Gutenberg

He carried a rifle in his car, and told us he had killed over fifty Germans since Liège.

From Project Gutenberg