From Middle English vassal, from Old French vassal, from Medieval Latin vassallus, from Latin vassus, from Gaulish *wassos, from Proto-Celtic *wastos (compare Old Irish foss and Welsh gwas).

• IPA: /ˈvæsəl/

vassal (plural vassals)

1. (historical, law) The grantee of a fief, a subordinate granted use of a superior's land and its income in exchange for vows of fidelity and homage and (typically) military service.

   Synonyms: feudatory, feudal tenant

   The manor's vassals owed first fruits and a tithe to the parish church, another 10% to the lord (including at least 50 eels), a week or two each year of service in the manor's upkeep, and service in the local fyrd.

2. (historical) Any direct subordinate bound by such vows to a superior.

   Synonyms: subject, dependant, bondsman, villein, serf, helot, thrall, servant, slave

   The king ordered his vassals to join him on the crusade unless they had a written note signed by the archbishop or pope.

3. (figurative) Any subordinate bound by similar close ties.
   • 1667, John Milton, “Book II”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC ↗; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC ↗:

     The vassals of his anger.

• valet
• varlet

• French: vassal
• German: Vasall, Lehnsmann, Gefolgsmann, Gefolgsleute, Höriger, Klient
• Italian: vassallo
• Portuguese: vassalo
• Russian: васса́л
• Spanish: vasallo

• French: vassal
• German: Vasall, Gefolgsmann, Lakai, Dienstmann, Büttel, Entourage, Scherge, Handlanger, Hucker
• Portuguese: vassalo, servo
• Russian: васса́л
• Spanish: vasallo

vassal (not comparable)

1. Resembling a vassal; slavish; servile.
   • c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Loues Labour's Lost”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act IV, scene iii]:

     Did they, quoth you? / Who sees the heavenly Rosaline / That, like a rude and savage man of Inde / At the first opening of the gorgeous east / Bows not his vassal head and strucken blind / Kisses the base ground with obedient breast?

vassal (vassals, present participle vassaling; simple past and past participle vassaled)

1. (transitive) To treat as a vassal or to reduce to the position of a vassal; to subject to control; to enslave.
2. (transitive) To subordinate to someone or something.

• French: vassaliser
• Spanish: avasallar

• French: vassaliser
• Spanish: avasallar