fe·al·ty

[fee-uhl-tee]
noun, plural fe·al·ties.
1.
History/Historical.
a.
fidelity to a lord.
b.
the obligation or the engagement to be faithful to a lord, usually sworn to by a vassal.
2.
fidelity; faithfulness.

Origin:
1275–1325; Middle English feute, feaute, fealtye < Anglo-French, Old French feauté, fealté < Latin fidēlitāt- (stem of fidēlitās) fidelity; internal -au-, -al- from feal, reshaping (by substitution of -al- -al1) of fe(d)eil < Latin fidēlis

non·fe·al·ty, noun, plural non·fe·al·ties.
un·fe·al·ty, noun, plural un·fe·al·ties.


2. loyalty, devotion.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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00:10
Fealty is always a great word to know.
So is slumgullion. Does it mean:
a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal.
a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc.
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World English Dictionary
fealty (ˈfiːəltɪ) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
n , pl -ties
See homage (in feudal society) the loyalty sworn to one's lord on becoming his vassal
 
[C14: from Old French fealte, from Latin fidēlitāsfidelity]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

fealty
c.1300, from O.Fr. feauté, from L. fidelitatem (nom. fidelitas) "fidelity," from fidelis "loyal, faithful" (see fidelity).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
He swore fealty to the king before rejecting all royalty.
The fealty of a volunteer fireman to his particular company was of an intensity that can scarcely be comprehended today.
It certainly, if somewhat ironically, demonstrates the regime's fealty to his carelessness about money.
They sold their service, but they did not sell their fealty.
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