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Liege: meaning, definitions and examples

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liege

 

[ liːʤ ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

in politics

A liege is a feudal lord entitled to allegiance and service.

Examples of usage

  • He was a loyal liege to his subjects.
  • The king demanded the fealty of his lieges.
Context #2 | Noun

obsolete

A liege is a sovereign or a king.

Examples of usage

  • The liege was known for his wisdom and benevolence.
  • The liege held court in the grand palace.
Context #3 | Noun

archaic

A liege is a sworn vassal.

Examples of usage

  • The knight pledged his loyalty to his liege.
  • The liege granted lands to his vassals.

Translations

Translations of the word "liege" in other languages:

🇵🇹 senhor feudal

🇮🇳 लेज़

🇩🇪 Lehnsherr

🇮🇩 tuan tanah

🇺🇦 сюзерен

🇵🇱 lenno

🇯🇵 領主 (りょうしゅ)

🇫🇷 suzerain

🇪🇸 señor feudal

🇹🇷 senyör

🇰🇷 영주

🇸🇦 سيد إقطاعي

🇨🇿 léno

🇸🇰 léno

🇨🇳 封建领主 (fēngjiàn lǐngzhǔ)

🇸🇮 fevdalni gospod

🇮🇸 lénsherra

🇰🇿 феодал

🇬🇪 სიუზერენი

🇦🇿 feodal

🇲🇽 señor feudal

Etymology

The word 'liege' originated from the Old French term 'lige', meaning 'free' or 'unbound'. In medieval times, a liege was a feudal lord to whom allegiance and service were due. The concept of a liege lord was central to the feudal system, where vassals swore loyalty to their lieges in exchange for protection and land. Over time, the term evolved to also refer to a sovereign or king. Today, 'liege' is mainly used in historical or literary contexts to denote a feudal superior.

Word Frequency Rank

Positioned at #23,783, this word is part of extensive vocabulary. It's relatively rare in general usage but may be important in specific fields or formal writing.