feudal

n. 1. A tenant who holds his lands by feudal service; a feudatory. Foxe. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A feodary. See Feodary. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ F. féodal, or LL. feudalis. ] 1. Of or pertaining to feuds, fiefs, or fees; as, feudal rights or services; feudal tenures. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Consisting of, or founded upon, feuds or fiefs; embracing tenures by military services; as, the feudal system. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. féodalisme. ] The feudal system; a system by which the holding of estates in land is made dependent upon an obligation to render military service to the king or feudal superior; feudal principles and usages. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. An upholder of feudalism. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. féodalité. ] The state or quality of being feudal; feudal form or constitution. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of reducing to feudal tenure. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Feudalized p. pr. & vb. n. Feudalizing ] To reduce to a feudal tenure; to conform to feudalism. [ 1913 Webster ]