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Feudal

Definitions and Meaning in English

1. Relating to or characteristic of the feudal system, a social, economic, and political structure in medieval Europe.
2. Describing a society or system where power is held by lords who own land and vassals who provide service in exchange for protection.
3. Describing a hierarchical system in which duties and privileges are exchanged, often associated with land ownership, military service, and loyalty.
4. A system or structure where people’s rights and roles are determined by their position in a rigid hierarchy, often involving a monarch or ruling class.

History and Origin

The term “feudal” is derived from the Latin feodum (meaning “fee” or “land granted in exchange for service”), which refers to land granted to vassals in return for loyalty and military service. The concept developed during the Middle Ages, particularly in Europe, as a way of organizing society and governance. Under the feudal system, land was the primary source of wealth, and its ownership was the basis for power. The system gradually declined during the late medieval period as new forms of governance and economic systems evolved.

Detailed Explanation

The feudal system was a dominant social, economic, and political structure in medieval Europe, where the king or monarch owned all the land and granted portions of it to noble lords or barons. These lords, in turn, granted land to vassals (knights or peasants) in exchange for military service or labor. The system was based on mutual obligations—protection and land in exchange for loyalty and service. In a feudal society, there was little social mobility, and one’s position in the hierarchy largely determined their rights and duties. The feudal system started to decline as kingdoms centralized and capitalism began to emerge, changing the landscape of governance and economic power.

Example Sentences

1. The feudal system was characterized by the exchange of land for loyalty and military service.
2. In medieval Europe, kings and queens were at the top of the feudal hierarchy.
3. The feudal lords had significant control over the land and the people who worked it.
4. Serfs were bound to the land in a feudal system, working for their lords in exchange for protection.
5. The decline of the feudal system marked the beginning of the rise of centralized monarchies.
6. Feudal societies were often marked by a rigid class structure with limited social mobility.
7. The king’s feudal system was designed to maintain control over vast territories.
8. Lords under the feudal system provided land to their vassals in exchange for military support.
9. Feudal practices have been replaced by modern forms of governance and social organization.

Synonyms with Short Explanation

1. Medieval – Relating to the Middle Ages, often used to describe the time when the feudal system was prevalent.
2. Hierarchical – A system or structure in which individuals are ranked according to their status or power, similar to the rigid classes in feudal society.
3. Aristocratic – Pertaining to the aristocracy or nobility, which was central to the feudal system.
4. Manorial – Relating to the manor system, a key feature of feudalism where the manor was the central unit of agricultural production.
5. Vassalic – Referring to vassals, or individuals who served a lord in exchange for land, a fundamental concept in the feudal system.

Related Words with Short Explanation

1. Serf – A laborer bound to work on the land owned by a lord in a feudal system.
2. Knight – A nobleman who served a lord in exchange for land, often a key figure in the feudal system.
3. Lord – A person who owns land and has control over vassals and serfs in a feudal society.
4. Baron – A nobleman who held land directly from a king or queen in the feudal system.
5. Fief – A piece of land granted to a vassal in exchange for military service under feudalism.

More Matches with Short Explanation

1. Manorialism – The economic system that was closely tied to feudalism, where land was the primary source of wealth and production.
2. Fealty – The loyalty and allegiance owed by a vassal to their lord in the feudal system.
3. Vassalage – The condition of being a vassal in the feudal system, serving a lord in exchange for land or protection.
4. Chivalry – The code of conduct associated with knights during the feudal period, focusing on loyalty and honor.
5. Feudalism – The overall system of land ownership, military service, and mutual obligations between lords and vassals.

Antonyms

1. Democracy
2. Meritocracy
3. Capitalism
4. Equality
5. Social mobility