feodalis

Forms

feodālis (neuter feodāle); third-declension two-termination adjective; also a noun, masculine feodālis “vassal” and neuter feodāle “fief”^[1][2] Niermeyer gives the spellings feudalis and fevalis beside it.^[1] The MLW records spellings with phe-, feud-, fedeo-, feio-, feuo- and fio-.^[3]

Etymology

It is formed from Latin feudum (“fief”) + -ālis in Medieval Latin, the base being spelled ⟨feodum⟩ in Niermeyer, Köbler and the MLW.^[1][2][3] feudum is of Germanic origin.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler dates the noun, meaning a vassal, to a charter of 930, and the adjective to charters of 993–1032.^[2]

Semantic evolution

As an adjective it described what had to do with a fief: land and goods held in fee, the services and dues owed for it, and feudal law and its courts.^[1][3][5] Of people it meant provided with a fief, or entitled to one.^[1][3] Used as a noun, the masculine named the enfeoffed vassal, and in some German sources a dependant close to a serf; the neuter feodale named the fief itself.^[1][3][2]

British sources use it of the lord who granted the fief as well as of the tenant, of dependent kingdoms, of documents attesting tenure, and in firma feodalis, fee-farm.^[5] In Polish sources it is also used of the higher court of German law.^[6] English took feudal from it in the 1610s.^[4]

Timeline

• 930 – A charter uses it as a noun for a vassal.^[2]
• 993–1032 – Charters use it as an adjective.^[2]
• before 1087 – A British text uses it of a feoffee.^[5]
• c. 1230 – It is used of the lords to whom feudal service is owed.^[5]
• 1270 – It is used of lands and tenements held in fee.^[5]
• 1610s – Borrowed into English as feudal.^[4]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Of or relating to a fief; feudal; held in fee.^[1][3][5]
2. Provided with a fief, enfeoffed; entitled to a fief.^[1][3]
3. (of service, dues, law or courts) Owed or belonging under feudal tenure.^[5][3]

Noun

1. (masculine) An enfeoffed vassal, a feudal tenant.^[1][2]
2. (neuter, feodale) A fief.^[1][3]

Related words

• English feudal

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
2. ^ a b c d e f g Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
4. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b c d e f g Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
6. ^ Lexicon mediae et infimae Latinitatis Polonorum (1953–), Kraków: Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN; electronic ed. elexicon.scriptores.pl