Vassal Definition
văsəl
vassals
noun
vassals
In the Middle Ages, a person who held land under the feudal system, doing homage and pledging fealty to an overlord, and performing military or other duties in return for his protection; feudal tenant.
Webster's New World
A bondman; a slave.
American Heritage
A subordinate, subject, servant, slave, etc.
Webster's New World
A subordinate or dependent.
American Heritage
adjective
Of or like a vassal; dependent, servile, etc.
Webster's New World
Being a vassal.
Webster's New World
Other Word Forms of Vassal
Noun
Singular:
vassal
Plural:
vassalsOrigin of Vassal
-
From Middle English, from Old French vassal, from Medieval Latin vassallus (“manservant, domestic, retainer"), from vassus (“servant"), from Gaulish *wassos (“young man, squire"), from Proto-Celtic *wastos (“servant") (compare Old Irish foss and Welsh gwas).
From Wiktionary
-
Middle English from Old French from Vulgar Latin vassallus from vassus of Celtic origin upo in Indo-European roots
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
Related Articles
Find Similar Words
Find similar words to vassal using the buttons below.