vassal

== English == === Alternative forms === vasal (rare) === Etymology === 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). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈvæsəl/ Rhymes: -æsəl === Noun === vassal (plural vassals) (historical, law) 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. Synonyms: feudatory, feudal tenant (historical) Any direct subordinate bound by such vows to a superior. Synonyms: subject, dependant, bondsman, villein, serf, helot, thrall, servant, slave (figurative) Any subordinate bound by similar close ties. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === Adjective === vassal (not comparable) Resembling a vassal; slavish; servile. ==== Translations ==== === Verb === vassal (third-person singular simple present vassals, present participle (US) vassaling or (UK) vassalling, simple past and past participle (US) vassaled or (UK) vassalled) (transitive) To treat as a vassal or to reduce to the position of a vassal; to subject to control; to enslave. (transitive) To subordinate to someone or something. ==== Translations ==== === Anagrams === Salvas, slavas, vasals == French == === Etymology === 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). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /va.sal/ === Adjective === vassal (feminine vassale, masculine plural vassaux, feminine plural vassales) vassal Coordinate term: suzerain ==== Derived terms ==== vassalement === Noun === vassal m (plural vassaux, feminine vassale) (chiefly historical) vassal Coordinate term: suzerain ==== Derived terms ==== vassalité vassaliser ==== Descendants ==== → Danish: vasal → Russian: васса́л (vassál) (see there for further descendants) === Further reading === “vassal”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012 === Anagrams === valsas == Hungarian == === Etymology === vas (“iron”) +‎ -val (“with”, instrumental case suffix) === Pronunciation === IPA(key): [ˈvɒʃːɒl] Hyphenation: vas‧sal === Noun === vassal instrumental singular of vas ==== Derived terms ==== tűzzel-vassal == Middle English == === Alternative forms === vassall === Etymology === From Old French vassal. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈvasal/ === Noun === vassal (plural vassalles) A feudal retainer, who is obliged to render military service. A servant to one’s beloved, professed lover. As surname. ==== Descendants ==== English: vassal Yola: vassale ==== References ==== “vassal, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007. == Old French == === Noun === vassal oblique singular, m (oblique plural vassaus or vassax or vassals, nominative singular vassaus or vassax or vassals, nominative plural vassal) vassal ==== Descendants ==== French: vassal Norman: vassa (Jersey) → Middle English: vassal, vassallEnglish: vassalYola: vassale