allegiance

[ uh-lee-juhns ]
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noun
  1. the loyalty of a citizen to their government or of a subject to their sovereign.

  2. loyalty or devotion to some person, group, cause, or the like.

Origin of allegiance

1
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English aliegiaunce, equivalent to a- probably a-5 + liegeliege + -aunce-ance; compare Middle French ligeance

synonym study For allegiance

See loyalty.

Opposites for allegiance

Other words from allegiance

  • non·al·le·giance, noun
  • o·ver·al·le·giance, noun

Words Nearby allegiance

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How to use allegiance in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for allegiance

allegiance

/ (əˈliːdʒəns) /


noun
  1. loyalty, as of a subject to his sovereign or of a citizen to his country

  2. (in feudal society) the obligations of a vassal to his liege lord: See also fealty, homage (def. 2)

Origin of allegiance

1
C14: from Old French ligeance, from lige liege

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012