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  • liege
    liege
    noun
    a feudal lord entitled to allegiance and service.
  • Liège
    Liège
    noun
    a city in E Belgium, on the Meuse River: one of the first cities attacked in World War I.
Synonyms

liege

1 American  
[leej, leezh] / lidʒ, liʒ /

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 American  
[lee-eyzh, lyezh] / liˈeɪʒ, lyɛʒ /

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 British  
/ 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

"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

noun

  1. a liege lord

  2. a liegeman or true subject

"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
Liège 2 British  
/ 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)

"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

Etymology

Origin of liege

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

Explanation

Since modern populations often ignore aristocracy (except in the case of tabloid coverage), many words once used for royalty are now unusual and obscure. Such is the case with liege. If you refer to someone as "my liege" you are probably playing a game. Ah, the Medieval era, where we find the word liege as we know it, a term used by underlings for the lord of their land. The word was probably of Germanic origin, derived from the Medieval Latin laeticus. In an interesting etymological twist, the word at one time meant a leader of a band of free men — pretty much the opposite of its eventual meaning as a feudal lord. The word is not used much today, except in jest (see Python, Monty).

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Vocabulary lists containing liege

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.

The findings, led by researchers at the University of Liège, were published in Astronomy & Astrophysics.

From Science Daily • Mar. 25, 2026

The 147 horses were flown to the Horse Inn in Liège, Belgium, after being loaded into special air stables for transport.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 14, 2026

Scientists at the University of Liège have identified a crucial genetic regulator that allows macrophages to fully mature and help maintain organ health.

From Science Daily • Mar. 1, 2026

The film centers around a shelter in Liège, the Dardennes’ hometown, as their handheld camera observes five teen moms.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 16, 2026

The municipal Government of Liège remind their fellow citizens, and all staying within the city, that international law most strictly forbids civilians to commit hostilities against the German soldiers occupying the country.

From Raemaekers' Cartoon History of the War, Volume 1 The First Twelve Months of War by Raemaekers, Louis

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