Dictionary
Thesaurus
Encyclopedia
Translator
Web
Popular Searches
Synonyms
Nearby Words

liegest

 - 2 dictionary results

liege

  [leej, leezh]
Use liegest in a Sentence
–noun
1. a feudal lord entitled to allegiance and service.
2. a feudal vassal or subject.
–adjective
3. owing primary allegiance and service to a feudal lord.
4. pertaining to the relation between a feudal vassal and lord.
5. loyal; faithful: the liege adherents of a cause.
Origin:
1250–1300; ME < OF li(e)ge ≪ Gmc *lēt- vassal + L -icus -ic; cf. ML lētī barbarians allowed to settle on Roman land (< Gmc; perh. akin to let 1 ), laeticus for *lēticus, deriv. of lētī
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To liegest
Word Origin & History

liege 
word used by a vassal to address his superior or lord in the feudal system, 1297, from Anglo-Fr. lige (1292), from O.Fr. liege, perhaps from L.L. laeticus "cultivated by serfs," from laetus "serf," which probably is from a Gmc. source (cf. O.E. læt "half-freedman, serf;" O.H.G. laz, O.Fris. lethar "freedman"). Or the M.E. word may be directly from O.H.G. leidig "free." Hence, liege-man "a vassal sworn to the service and support of a lord, who in turn is obliged to protect him" (c.1350).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Search another word or see liegest on Thesaurus | Reference
FacebookTwitterFollow us:
Partner Sites:
Ask AnswersEviteExpediaHotelsHotwireLife123LiveDailyMy Way