How Do You Spell VASSALS?

Pronunciation: [vˈasə͡lz] (IPA)

The word "vassals" is a plural noun that refers to a person who is subservient to a lord, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary. It is pronounced /ˈvæsəlz/ with the stress on the first syllable. The spelling of this word is determined by the Old French word "vassal" from which it was derived. It is spelled with a double "s" at the end to indicate its plural form. This spelling has remained unchanged throughout centuries despite its evolution in meaning and usage.

VASSALS Meaning and Definition

1. Vassals are individuals who held a subordinate or dependent position within the feudal system. In medieval Europe, a vassal was a person who swore allegiance and loyalty to a lord or noble, thereby pledging to serve and support them in exchange for protection, land, or other privileges. The vassal acted as a subordinate to their lord and was bound by a code of conduct known as feudal obligations.

   As part of their duty, vassals were obliged to provide military service or contribute to the lord's army when required. They also had to offer monetary payments or provide resources to their lord, such as crops or goods from their land. Additionally, vassals were responsible for advising and assisting their lords in governance and administration matters.

   The relationship between a vassal and a lord was formalized through a ceremony called "homage" where the vassal would kneel before their lord, place their hands between their lord's hands, and swear an oath of loyalty. This act symbolized the vassal's submission and their willingness to serve their lord.

   Vassals typically held a piece of land, known as a fief, granted to them by their lord. They had the right to cultivate and live on the land, but the ownership remained with the lord, and the land could be taken away if the vassal failed to meet their responsibilities.

   Overall, vassals played a vital role in the feudal system by supporting their lords and upholding the social and political structure of medieval society.

Top Common Misspellings for VASSALS *

• vessals 100%

* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.

Other Common Misspellings for VASSALS

• vessal
• visials
• vissal
• vessils
• parsals
• hassals
• vassle
• visusals
• vassles
• vessls
• vassel
• cassels
• vassels
• vassole
• cassals
• vassalees
• vassant
• bassals
• vastals
• nassals
• rassale
• vassalijs
• hassall
• vussals
• vassalis
• vassells
• Oasseys
• veusals
• vassell
• Lassaly
• maesals
• Vassalia
• Lanseyly
• Vassaus

Etymology of VASSALS

The word "vassals" has a Latin etymology. It comes from the Latin word "vassus", which means "servant" or "vassal". This Latin term was adopted into Old French as "vassal", which also means "servant" or "retainer". The word was then borrowed into Middle English as "vassal" and eventually evolved into the plural form "vassals". In feudal societies, vassals were individuals who swore loyalty and service to a lord or monarch in exchange for protection and land.

Similar spelling words for VASSALS

• vassalage,
• Vasiliki.