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Definition of feudalism

feudalism

/ˈfjuː.dəl.ɪ.zəm/
feu · dal · ism
Adverb:feudally
•
Adjective:feudal
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feudalism Lexical Profile

feudalism Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

The dominant social, economic, and political system in medieval Europe, in which the nobility held lands from the Crown in exchange for military service, and vassals were in turn tenants of the nobles while peasants were obliged to live on their lord's land and give him homage, labor, and a share of the produce.

Example

"The rise of centralized monarchies and a merchant class gradually led to the decline of feudalism across Western Europe."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Nearby Words

fetus
feud
feudal
feudalism
feudalistic
fever
fevered

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in the early 19th century from the French 'féodalisme', ultimately deriving from the Medieval Latin 'feudum' (a fief or land granted in return for service), which is of Germanic origin and related to Old High German 'fihu' meaning cattle or property.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Feudalism. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/feudalism
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