vassal

Meaning

Noun

1. (historical) The grantee of a fief, a subordinate granted use of a superior's land and its income in exchange for vows of fidelity and homage and (typically) military service.
2. (historical) Any direct subordinate bound by such vows to a superior.
3. (figuratively) Any subordinate bound by similar close ties.

Adj

Resembling a vassal; slavish; servile.

Verb

1. (transitive) To treat as a vassal or to reduce to the position of a vassal; to subject to control; to enslave.
2. (transitive) To subordinate to someone or something.

Synonyms

liegeman

liege

feudatory

liege subject

slave

retainer

servant

serf

attendant

satellite state

retinue

man

👨

servile

follower

slavish

subject

thrall

vassal state

feudal

bondman

indentured servant

Translations

vassal

vasallo

Vasall

vazal

avasallar

vassallo

vassaliser

leenman

vassalo

Lehnsmann

vassall

υποτελής

servile

servile

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈvæsəl/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: vassal

Cognate with Old Irish: foss

Cognate with Welsh: gwas

In summary

From Middle English vassal, from Old French vassal, from Medieval Latin vassallus (“manservant, domestic, retainer”), from Latin vassus (“servant”), from Gaulish *wassos (“young man, squire”), from Proto-Celtic *wastos (“servant”) (compare Old Irish foss and Welsh gwas).