vassal
Americannoun
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(in the feudal system) a person granted the use of land, in return for rendering homage, fealty, and usually military service or its equivalent to a lord or other superior; feudal tenant.
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a person holding some similar relation to a superior; a subject, subordinate, follower, or retainer.
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a servant or slave.
adjective
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of, relating to, or characteristic of a vassal.
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having the status or position of a vassal.
noun
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(in feudal society) a man who entered into a personal relationship with a lord to whom he paid homage and fealty in return for protection and often a fief. A great vassal was in vassalage to a king and a rear vassal to a great vassal
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a person, nation, etc, in a subordinate, suppliant, or dependent position relative to another
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( as modifier )
vassal status
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adjective
Other Word Forms
- nonvassal noun
- subvassal noun
- undervassal noun
- vassal-less adjective
- vassalless adjective
Etymology
Origin of vassal
1300–50; Middle English < Middle French < Medieval Latin vassallus, equivalent to vass ( us ) servant (< Celtic; compare Welsh gwas young man, Irish foss servant) + -allus noun suffix
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.
“Being a happy vassal is one thing. Being a miserable slave is something else,” Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever said.
From Los Angeles Times
“This is just a refusal of being a vassal.”
According to the polling expert, Mr Lee, "a growing portion of the public now believes China wants to turn South Korea into some kind of vassal state".
From BBC
Sawai was magnificent for the way she deftly handled her character’s many facets — vassal, translator, warrior, lover, avenger.
From Los Angeles Times
Because of our past forays, these knights have long been vassals without lords.
From New York Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
