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DictionaryRoot: -alis
Latin

-alis

of, relating to

Forms

  • -alis
  • -aris — Latin variant especially used when the stem already contained l, avoiding a repeated l sound.
  • -al — English ending borrowed through French or directly from Latin.
  • -ar — English ending continuing Latin -aris.

Origin

An older Latin adjective-forming suffix; its more remote ancestry is uncertain.

Note

Expresses a relationship without specifying its kind: material, place, purpose, and other connections are possible.

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adjective

feudal

FYOO-dul/ˈfjuːdl/

Relating to a system in which land is held in exchange for loyalty and service to a lord.

Under the feudal system, tenants hold land in return for service.

A medieval lord receives homage from a kneeling vassal, enclosing the vassal’s joined hands in his own.
Etymology
feudLatinestate held in return for service
+alLatinof, relating to

A feudum was land granted by a superior in return for service. Feudal therefore describes a system organized around such conditional landholding and the obligations between lords and those holding their land.

In context

Unreal Medieval12:28
She administered his estates, negotiated feudal obligations with overlords, and handled disputes with tenants.
Top 5 Bogus Claims About Medieval Women and Inheritance

More examples

  • Feudal obligations often included military service to a lord.
  • The king rewarded his supporters with land under feudal arrangements.
  • Our class studies the rights and duties of feudal lords.

Forms

feudal

feudalism noun — System exchanging landholding rights for loyalty and service.

Similar words

manorial
Concerns a manor's organization, especially relations between lords and peasants.