vassal

noun

vas·​sal ˈva-səl 

1

: a person under the protection of a feudal lord to whom he has vowed homage and fealty : a feudal tenant

2

: one in a subservient or subordinate position

vassal adjective

Examples of vassal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Washington’s adversaries have proxies, clients, dependents, and vassals rather than actual friends. —Nadia Schadlow, Foreign Affairs, 9 Oct. 2024

According to the document, Indigenous people could either voluntarily surrender their sovereignty and become vassals or bring war upon themselves – and perhaps lose their sovereignty anyway, after much bloodshed. —Diego Javier Luis, The Conversation, 2 Oct. 2024

The relationship between László and Van Buren is many contrasting things at once: artist/patron, immigrant Jew/American blue blood, vassal/exploiter, and, ultimately, something much darker. —Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 1 Sep. 2024

In Putin’s world view, however, countries like Germany don’t have their own autonomous, sovereign geopolitical interests—European capitals are effectively vassals to an omnipotent Washington. —Joshua Yaffa, The New Yorker, 1 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Medieval Latin vassallus "serf of the manor house, household servant, lord's man who has received a fief," borrowed from Gaulish *wassall-, derivative of *wass- "servant" (whence Medieval Latin vassus "serf, servant, holder of a fief"), going back to Celtic *wosto-, whence Welsh gwas "boy, servant," Middle Breton goas, Old Irish foss "servant, attendant"

Note: Celtic *wasto- is generally taken to continue Indo-European *upo-sth₂-o- "one who stands under," which may be correct if Gaulish *wass- shares with British Celtic unrounding of o in this position.

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

vassal

noun

vas·​sal ˈvas-əl 

: a person in the Middle Ages who received protection and land from a lord in return for loyalty and service