vassal

noun

vas·​sal ˈva-səl 

1

: a person under the protection of a feudal lord to whom he has vowed homage and fealty : a feudal tenant

2

: one in a subservient or subordinate position

vassal adjective

Examples of vassal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The memorandum, published in full by the Russian state news agency Tass, was less of a peace plan and more a demand for Ukraine to surrender, defang its military and become a vassal of Moscow. —Keir Simmons, NBC news, 3 June 2025

Many, noting Minsk’s extensive dependence on Moscow, view Lukashenko as little more than a puppet or stooge of the Russian president, and Belarus as a sort of vassal state. —Artyom Shraibman, Foreign Affairs, 31 Oct. 2023

But in private, GOP representatives and senators speak openly about Trump’s treatment of their caucus not as a check or equal partner, but as a vassal of his presidency. —Michael Wilner, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2025

Han rose to power in the wake of Qin’s collapse, after a short war with a rival dynasty called Chu, and spent the next century smugly referring to Nanyue as a vassal state and occasionally demanding tribute. —ArsTechnica, 24 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Medieval Latin vassallus "serf of the manor house, household servant, lord's man who has received a fief," borrowed from Gaulish *wassall-, derivative of *wass- "servant" (whence Medieval Latin vassus "serf, servant, holder of a fief"), going back to Celtic *wosto-, whence Welsh gwas "boy, servant," Middle Breton goas, Old Irish foss "servant, attendant"

Note: Celtic *wasto- is generally taken to continue Indo-European *upo-sth₂-o- "one who stands under," which may be correct if Gaulish *wass- shares with British Celtic unrounding of o in this position.

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for vassal

• castle
• facile
• gracile
• hassall
• hassle
• passel
• tassel
• fluorouracil
• thiouracil
• forecastle
• uracil
• propylthiouracil

Kids Definition

vassal

noun

vas·​sal ˈvas-əl 

: a person in the Middle Ages who received protection and land from a lord in return for loyalty and service