The word Feoffor, pronounced as /'fiːfər/, is a legal term that refers to a person who grants a fee or fief to someone else. The word is derived from the Old French word "feoffer" which means to invest with a fee or fief. The spelling of the word Feoffor may seem confusing due to the double "f" and "o" combination. However, this spelling is consistent with the Middle English origin of the word and reflects the historical development of the English language.
A feoffor, in legal and historical terms, refers to an individual who has granted or transferred ownership of land or property to another person, known as a feoffee. The term "feoffor" is derived from the Old French word "feoffeur," meaning "one who grants a feudal estate" or "one who enfeoffs." The concept of feoffment and the roles of feoffor and feoffee were significant during the feudal period, particularly in medieval England.
Feoffment was a legal transaction where a feoffor would transfer land or property to a feoffee, essentially granting them a hereditary right to possess and enjoy the estate. The feoffor would convey this ownership by symbolic acts such as the delivery of a symbolic object, such as a staff or piece of earth, known as "livery of seisin." This act signified the transfer of the estate, establishing the rights and responsibilities of the feoffee.
The feoffor, by relinquishing ownership, ceased to have any legal claim or control over the granted property. Typically, the feoffor would receive some form of consideration or payment from the feoffee, often in the form of a pledge to provide military service, monetary rent, or other feudal obligations.
Though the concept of feoffment and the role of feoffor largely became obsolete with the rise of modern property law, the term remains relevant for legal and historical discussions regarding medieval land tenure and feudalism.
The granter of a feoff.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
The word "feoffor" traces its etymology back to Middle English and the Anglo-Norman language. It was derived from the Old French word "feoffeor", which in turn came from the Latin term "feudātor", meaning "one who grants a fief" or "feudal lord". The Latin word was derived from the verb "feudāre", which meant "to grant as a fief".