Where does “feudalism” come from?
Feudalism derives from English feudal, Ancient Greek -ισμός, Ancient Greek -μός, Latin feodum and feudum meaning estate or fee, Frankish fehu meaning cattle or property, and Proto-Indo-European péḱu and peḱ- meaning livestock.
feudalism (English): A social system based on personal ownership of...
Definitions
- A social system based on personal ownership of...
Ancestry of “feudalism”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | feudal | Of, or relating to feudalism |
| 2 | Old French | feodal | feudal |
| 3 | Medieval Latin | feodalis | — |
| 4 | Latin | feodum | Alternative form of feudum |
| 5 | Frankish | fehu | livestock, cattle; cattle, owndom, property, fee;... |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | fehu | livestock, cattle; property; name of the F-rune |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | péḱu | livestock |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | peḱ- | to pluck; livestock; wealth |
Words derived from “feudalism”