tenant in chief

or ten·ant-in-chief

noun

a feudal vassal who holds land directly from the king.

Origin of tenant in chief

First recorded in 1600–10

Also called ten·ant in cap·i·te

[kap-i-tee] /ˈkæp ɪ ti/.

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