liege
liege Lexical Profile
liege Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A feudal superior or sovereign lord to whom allegiance and service are due.
"The messenger knelt respectfully before his royal liege to deliver the urgent dispatch from the border."
A major French-speaking city and provincial capital in eastern Belgium within the Wallonia region, situated along the Meuse River near the borders of the Netherlands and Germany (ordinarily spelled Liège).
A vassal or subject bound to give feudal service and allegiance to a superior lord.
"The king summoned all his loyal lieges to assemble at the capital before the autumn harvest."
• adjective
Concerned with or relating to the reciprocal feudal relationship between a superior lord and a vassal.
"Under medieval law, knights were bound by a strict oath of liege homage to the crown."
Word Nuance & Usage
Unusually among English words, 'liege' is contronymic in feudal contexts, capable of referring either to the superior lord who receives allegiance or to the subordinate vassal who owes it.
• Rhymes for liege
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed into Middle English from Anglo-Norman and Old French 'lige', from Medieval Latin 'ligius' (bound by feudal obligation), likely stemming from a Frankish root cognate with Old High German 'ledig' (free from other obligations).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.