feudalism
noun/ˈfjuːdəˌlɪzəm/
Frequency rank: #15,998 most common English word
Meaning
A political and social system in which land is exchanged for military service and loyalty, with lords ruling over peasants.
Example sentence
In medieval Europe, feudalism meant that peasants worked the land in exchange for protection from their lords.
Synonyms & related words
- serfdom
- manorialism
- aristocracy
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