%feal%

n. [ OE. feaute, OF. feauté, fealté, feelté, feelteit, fr. L. fidelitas, fr. fidelis faithful. See Feal, and cf. Fidelity. ] 1. Fidelity to one's lord; the feudal obligation by which the tenant or vassal was bound to be faithful to his lord; the special oath by which this obligation was assumed; fidelity to a superior power, or to a government; loyalty. It is no longer the practice to exact the performance of fealty, as a feudal obligation. Wharton (Law Dict.). Tomlins. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Fidelity; constancy; faithfulness, as of a friend to a friend, or of a wife to her husband. [ 1913 Webster ]

He should maintain fealty to God. I. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

Makes wicked lightnings of her eyes, and saps
The fealty of our friends. tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

Swore fealty to the new government. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Fealty is distinguished from homage, which is an acknowledgment of tenure, while fealty implies an oath. See Homage. Wharton.

Syn. -- Homage; loyality; fidelity; constancy. [ 1913 Webster ]