vassal

• POS: Adjective, Noun
• HYPHEN: vas=sal

CIDE DICTIONARY

vassal, n. [F., fr. LL. vassallus, vassus; of Celtic origin; cf. W. & Corn. gwas a youth, page, servant, Arm. gwaz a man, a male. Cf. Valet, Varlet, Vavasor.].

•  The grantee of a fief, feud, or fee; one who holds land of a superior, and who vows fidelity and homage to him; a feudatory; a feudal tenant.  Burrill.  [1913 Webster]
•  A subject; a dependent; a servant; a bondman; a slave.  Milton.  [1913 Webster]

Rear vassal, the vassal of a vassal; an arriere vassal.

vassal, a. 

 Resembling a vassal; slavish; servile.  [1913 Webster]
"The sun and every vassal star."  [1913 Webster]

vassal, v. t. 

 To treat as a vassal; to subject to control; to enslave.  Beau. & Fl.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

vassal, n.
1 hist. a holder of land by feudal tenure on conditions of homage and allegiance.
2 rhet. a humble dependant.

Derivative

vassalage n.

Etymology

ME f. OF f. med.L vassallus retainer, of Celt. orig.: the root vassus corresp. to OBret. uuas, Welsh gwas, Ir. foss: cf. VAVASOUR

THESAURUS

vassal

bondmaid, bondman, bondslave, bondsman, bondswoman, captive, chattel, chattel slave, churl, client, concubine, creature, debt slave, dependent, feudal, feudatory, flunky, follower, galley slave, hanger-on, helot, homager, inferior, lackey, liege, liege man, liege subject, minion, myrmidon, odalisque, peon, retainer, serf, servant, servile, slave, stooge, subject, subordinate, subservient, theow, thrall, tributary, underling, understrapper, villein, yeoman

ROGET THESAURUS

vassal

Servant

N servant, subject, liegeman, servant, retainer, follower, henchman, servitor, domestic, menial, help, lady help, employe, attache, official, retinue, suite, cortege, staff, court, attendant, squire, usher, page, donzel, footboy, train bearer, cup bearer, waiter, lapster, butler, livery servant, lackey, footman, flunky, flunkey, valet, valet de chambre, equerry, groom, jockey, hostler, ostler, tiger, orderly, messenger, cad, gillie, herdsman, swineherd, barkeeper, bartender, bell boy, boots, boy, counterjumper, khansamah, khansaman, khitmutgar, yardman, bailiff, castellan, seneschal, chamberlain, major-domo, groom of the chambers, secretary, under secretary, assistant secretary, clerk, subsidiary, agent, subaltern, underling, understrapper, man, maid, maidservant, handmaid, confidente, lady's maid, abigail, soubrette, amah, biddy, nurse, bonne, ayah, nursemaid, nursery maid, house maid, parlor maid, waiting maid, chamber maid, kitchen maid, scullery maid, femme de chambre, femme fille, camarista, chef de cuisine, cordon bleu, cook, scullion, Cinderella, potwalloper, maid of all work, servant of all work, laundress, bedmaker, journeyman, charwoman, bearer, chokra, gyp (Cambridge), hamal, scout (Oxford), serf, vassal, slave, negro, helot, bondsman, bondswoman, bondslave, ame damnee, odalisque, ryot, adscriptus gleboe, villian, villein, beadsman, bedesman, sizar, pensioner, pensionary, client, dependant, dependent, hanger on, satellite, parasite, led captain, protege, ward, hireling, mercenary, puppet, tool, creature, badge of slavery, bonds, in the train of, in one's pay, in one's employ, at one's call, in bonds.