vassal
/ˈvæsəl/
noun
- In medieval times, a person who was given land and protection by a lord in exchange for loyalty and service.
- The lord granted a portion of his estate to a trusted vassal.
- Each vassal was required to provide knights for the king's army.
- The vassal swore an oath of fealty to his lord.
- A person, country, or group that is controlled by or dependent on a more powerful one.
- The company acted like a vassal, following every order from its parent corporation.
- In the modern economy, some nations worry about becoming a vassal to foreign corporations.
- The small kingdom became a vassal of the larger empire.
Antonyms