fe·al·ty

(fē′əl-tē)

n. pl. fe·al·ties

a. The fidelity owed by a vassal to his feudal lord.

b. The oath of such fidelity.

2. Allegiance. See Synonyms at fidelity.

[Middle English fealtye, from Old French fealte, from Latin fidēlitās, faithfulness, from fidēlis, faithful, from fidēs, faith; see bheidh- in Indo-European roots.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

fealty

(ˈfiːəltɪ)

n, pl -ties

(Historical Terms) (in feudal society) the loyalty sworn to one's lord on becoming his vassal. See homage²

[C14: from Old French fealte, from Latin fidēlitās fidelity]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

fe•al•ty

(ˈfi əl ti)

n., pl. -ties.

a. the fidelity of a feudal vassal to his lord or the pledge of such fidelity.

b. a vassal's obligation to be faithful to his lord.

2. fidelity; faithfulness; loyalty.

[1275–1325; Middle English feute < Anglo-French, Old French feauté, fealté < Latin fidēlitātem fidelity]

fealty

1. In the Feudal System, allegiance of a vassal to his lord.
2. allegiance.

fealty

noun loyalty, faith, submission, devotion, allegiance, fidelity, homage, faithfulness, obeisance, troth (archaic) pledging oaths of homage and fealty

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

fealty

noun

Faithfulness or devotion to a person, a cause, obligations, or duties:

allegiance, constancy, faithfulness, fidelity, loyalty, steadfastness.

Translations

lensed

Treue

troskap

fealty

[ˈfiːəltɪ] N (Hist) → lealtad f (feudal)

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

fealty

n (Hist) → Lehnstreue f

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

fealty

[ˈfiːəltɪ] n → fedeltà

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

There was a common head, chieftain, or sovereign, whose authority extended over the whole nation; and a number of subordinate vassals, or feudatories, who had large portions of land allotted to them, and numerous trains of INFERIOR vassals or retainers, who occupied and cultivated that land upon the tenure of fealty or obedience, to the persons of whom they held it.

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But he smiled upon us all, and I had no chance to distinguish myself from the rest by any act of devotion before the blessed vision faded, though for long afterwards, in impassioned reveries, I accosted him and claimed him kindred because of my fealty, and because I would have been Spanish if I could.

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And when they found that his mood was with them, they made him swear an oath of fealty, and told him the haunt of the band--a place he knew right well.

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In acknowledgment of fealty, he proceeded to take upon himself the guardianship of his master's property.

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The great ruffian paused, then stopped, slowly a sheepish smile overspread his countenance and going upon one knee he took the hand of Norman of Torn and kissed it, as some great and loyal noble knight might have kissed his king's hand in proof of his love and fealty. There was a certain rude, though chivalrous grandeur in the act; and it marked not only the beginning of a lifelong devotion and loyalty on the part of Shandy toward his young master, but was prophetic of the attitude which Norman of Torn was to inspire in all the men who served him during the long years that saw thousands pass the barbicans of Torn to crave a position beneath his grim banner.

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But Steward, the particular god of his fealty and worship, appreciated.

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As I saw that he was restrained by fealty to Little Britain from saying as much as he could, and as I knew with thankfulness to him how far out of his way he went to say what he did, I could not press him.

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of other secret matters which, to preserve the fealty I owe to my lady Dulcinea del Toboso, I shall pass over unnoticed and in silence!

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It is the oath of fealty that men occasionally pay to a Jeddak whose high character and chivalrous acts have inspired the enthusiastic love of his followers.

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Like many of his fellows, he had apparently accepted the new order of things with good grace, and had sworn fealty to Xodar, his new ruler; but I knew that he hated me, and I was sure that in his heart he envied and hated Xodar, so I had kept a watch upon his comings and goings, to the end that of late I had become convinced that he was occupied with some manner of intrigue.

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Twenty tribes had joined the federation, and their chiefs had sworn eternal fealty to one another and to me.

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Here the Archbishop of Greenwich coughed a stately cough to attract the attention of three of his ministers present, and staring at them, seemed to say: 'I call upon you by your fealty to believe this!'

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