feudal

[fyood-l]

See more synonyms for feudal on Thesaurus.com

adjective

of, relating to, or like the feudal system, or its political, military, social, and economic structure.
of or relating to the Middle Ages.
of, relating to, or of the nature of a fief or fee: a feudal estate.

of or relating to the holding of land in a fief or fee.

Origin of feudal

From the Medieval Latin word feudālis, dating back to 1605–15. See feud², -al¹

Related formsfeu·dal·ly, adverban·ti·feu·dal, adjectivenon·feu·dal, adjectivenon·feu·dal·ly, adverbpre·feu·dal, adjectivequa·si-feu·dal, adjectivequa·si-feu·dal·ly, adverbun·feu·dal, adjectiveun·feu·dal·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for feudal

Contemporary Examples

On Sark, horses and carts and feudal traditions still remain strong.
The Crazy Medieval Island of Sark
Liza Foreman
October 4, 2014
That Silicon Valley is moving away from capitalism toward feudalism, with tech CEOs as feudal lords, and this is a good thing.
Occupying the Throne: Justine Tunney, Neoreactionaries, and the New 1%
Arthur Chu
August 1, 2014
But they felt discriminated against by the local political bosses and feudal lords who ran the city.
Altaf Hussain Finally Arrested in London; Can His MQM Be Neutralized?
Bruce Riedel
June 3, 2014
Of the Last Samurai he said, “They make it look like Japan would not have made it out of the feudal period without Tom Cruise.”
Can ‘Belle’ End Hollywood’s Obsession with the White Savior?
Keli Goff
May 4, 2014
Feudal families held much of the power in an untamed empire of mercenary armies warring for control of small sections of land.
This Week’s Hot Reads: April 8, 2013
G. Clay Whittaker
April 9, 2013

Historical Examples

The ancient castles of England were the central feature of feudal society.
English Villages
P. H. Ditchfield
He wrote: Feudal anachronisms and atomic power, side by side.
Teething Ring
James Causey
Abolition of feudal forms and tenures.Fight on great landlords.
College Teaching
Paul Klapper
In feudal times this sea-girt fortress was almost impregnable.
The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 18, No. 105, July 1866
Various
They perceive the materials of the feudal institutions, but they miss the cement.
Ancient Law
Sir Henry James Sumner Maine

British Dictionary definitions for feudal

feudal¹

adjective

of, resembling, relating to, or characteristic of feudalism or its institutions
of, characteristic of, or relating to a fiefCompare allodial
derogatory old-fashioned, reactionary, etc

Word Origin

C17: from Medieval Latin feudālis, from feudum feud ²

feudal²

adjective

of or relating to a feud or quarrel

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

Word Origin and History for feudal

adj.

1610s, from Medieval Latin feudalis, from feudum "feudal estate," of Germanic origin (cf. Gothic faihu "property," Old High German fihu "cattle;" see fee). Related to Middle English feodary "one who holds lands of an overlord in exchange for service" (late 14c.).

feudal

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}feudal

Examples from the Web for feudal

Contemporary Examples

On Sark, horses and carts and feudal traditions still remain strong.

That Silicon Valley is moving away from capitalism toward feudalism, with tech CEOs as feudal lords, and this is a good thing.

But they felt discriminated against by the local political bosses and feudal lords who ran the city.

Of the Last Samurai he said, “They make it look like Japan would not have made it out of the feudal period without Tom Cruise.”

Feudal families held much of the power in an untamed empire of mercenary armies warring for control of small sections of land.

Historical Examples

The ancient castles of England were the central feature of feudal society.

He wrote: Feudal anachronisms and atomic power, side by side.

Abolition of feudal forms and tenures.Fight on great landlords.

In feudal times this sea-girt fortress was almost impregnable.

They perceive the materials of the feudal institutions, but they miss the cement.

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Word Origin

feudal2

Word Origin and History for feudal

adj.

Origin of feudal

feudal¹

feudal²