fiefdom
fiefdom Lexical Profile
fiefdom Game Scores & Validity
• noun
An area, organization, or sphere of activity over which a particular person or group exercises dominant, often unchallenged control.
"The senior manager treated the marketing department as his personal fiefdom, resisting any oversight from the executive board."
Under the medieval European feudal system, an estate of land, or the rights and revenues attached to it, held by a vassal from a lord in exchange for military or other service.
"The medieval knight was granted a prosperous fiefdom along the river in return for his oath of fealty to the king."
• Rhymes for fiefdom
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed in the early 19th century by combining 'fief' (from Old French 'fief', meaning a feudal estate, ultimately from a Germanic root related to 'fee' and 'cattle') with the native English suffix '-dom' (denoting a realm or jurisdiction).