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feudalism

Feudalism is defined as a Medieval European political, economic and social system from the 9th to 15th century.

(noun)

An example of feudalism is someone farming a piece of land for a lord and agreeing to serve under the lord in war in exchange for getting to live on the land and receiving protection.

See feudalism in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

the economic, political, and social system in medieval Europe, in which land, worked by serfs who were bound to it, was held by vassals in exchange for military and other services given to overlords
a society organized like that in medieval Europe

Related Forms:

feudalist noun
feudalistic adjective

See feudalism in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

A political and economic system of Europe from the 9th to about the 15th century, based on the holding of all land in fief or fee and the resulting relation of lord to vassal and characterized by homage, legal and military service of tenants, and forfeiture.
A political, economic, or social order resembling this medieval system.

Related Forms: