liege

1 of 2

adjective

ˈlēj 

1

a

: having the right to feudal allegiance (see allegiance sense 1a) or service

his liege lord

b

: obligated to render feudal allegiance and service

2

: faithful, loyal

liege

2 of 2

noun

1

a

: a vassal bound to feudal service and allegiance (see allegiance sense 1a)

b

: a loyal subject

2

: a feudal superior to whom allegiance and service are due

Examples of liege in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Not so with Law’s liege, who knows how to be cruel in the most fascinating way. —Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 9 Jan. 2025

Guillermo has gone from a sycophantic servant, dreaming of the day his master would turn him into a mythical creature of the night, to an out-and-proud vampire hunter who lives alongside his former lieges. —Ben Travers, IndieWire, 16 Dec. 2024

Of course this slithering pair will team up to kill their liege, King Duncan (Keith Fleming), at the vague prompting of three fortune-telling witches. —Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 18 Apr. 2024

Whether Gracia accepted death out of defiance toward her clan’s enemies, fidelity to her husband and his lord, sympathy for a retainer bound by his liege’s order, or something else cannot be known. —Nicholas Liu, Vulture, 17 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English lige, lege, liege, borrowed from Anglo-French liege, lege (also continental Old French), going back to Late Latin laeticus "pertaining to laeti," from laetus "Germanic cultivator working on Roman land, (later) person whose status was intermediate between free and slave" + Latin -icus -ic entry 1 – and borrowed from Anglo-French lige, going back to early Medieval Latin līticus, from lītus, variant of laetus; laetus borrowed from Germanic *lēt- (in Old English lǣt "man with semi-free status [in Kentish law]," frēolǣta "freedman," Old Frisian lēt "man with semi-free status," Old Low Franconian leto, Old Saxon lāt, Old High German lāz "freedman," Gothic fralets), derivative of *lētan "to let, allow" — more at let entry 1

Note: The variation between laetus and lītus (with a long vowel, if lige is to be explained) is difficult to account for; note that both letus and litus occur in the text of the Lex Salica. The old hypothesis of Josef Brüch (referenced in Französisches etymologisches Wörterbuch), that līticus is a reflection of the Germanic etymon of Old Frisian lītik "little," is not very attractive.

Noun

Middle English lege "feudal superior, liege lord," borrowed from Anglo-French lige, liege, derivative of liege, lege, lige liege entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing liege

• liege man

Rhymes for liege

• siege
• besiege

Kids Definition

liege

1 of 2 adjective

ˈlēj 

1

: having the right to receive service and loyalty

liege lord

2

: owing or giving service to a lord

liege

2 of 2 noun

1

: vassal

2

: a feudal lord

Geographical Definition

Liège

geographical name

Li·​ège lē-ˈezh 

-ˈāzh

variants or Flemish Luik

ˈlīk 

ˈlœik

1

province of eastern Belgium in Wallonia area 1497 square miles (3877 square kilometers), population 1,092,000

2

city and capital of the province of Liège located at the point where the Ourthe River flows into the Meuse River population 196,000