vassal

American  

[vas-uhl] / ˈvæs əl /

noun

1. (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.

2. a person holding some similar relation to a superior; a subject, subordinate, follower, or retainer.

3. a servant or slave.

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of a vassal.

2. having the status or position of a vassal.

vassal British  

/ ˈvæsəl /

noun

1. (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

2. 1. a person, nation, etc, in a subordinate, suppliant, or dependent position relative to another

   2. ( as modifier )

      vassal status

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adjective

1. of or relating to a vassal

vassal Cultural  

1. Under feudalism, a subordinate who placed himself in service to a lord in return for the lord's protection.

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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

I’ll note that the demon is a more honest and fair negotiator than his vassals, who occasionally cheat and are punished in exactly the way you’re hoping to see.

From Los Angeles Times

“He’s not going to attack the president. That’s not going to happen. Kennedy helped create the president. He’s hardly a vassal,” Kucinich said.

From Salon

“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.”

From The Wall Street Journal

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

Related Words

• servant