Feudalism meaning

fyo͝od'l-ĭz'əm
A social system based on personal ownership of resources and personal fealty between a suzerain (lord) and a vassal (subject). Defining characteristics are direct ownership of resources, personal loyalty, and a hierarchical social structure reinforced by religion.
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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.
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A society organized like that in medieval Europe.
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Feudalism is defined as a Medieval European political, economic and social system from the 9th to 15th century.

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.

noun
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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.
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A political, economic, or social order resembling this medieval system.
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Origin of feudalism

From feudal +‎ -ism.

Sentence Examples

  • Feudalism was not at any time a national institution.

  • Feudalism formed the starting-point also of the later social nobilities of Europe.

  • The uniting of the personal and the land sides of feudalism came long after the conquest, and in a different way.

  • It is better to say that European feudalism is not to be found in England before the Conquest, not even in its beginnings.

  • In studying the origin and growth of political feudalism, the distinction is easy to make.

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Words near feudalism in the Dictionary