Fief
/fiːf/noun
A piece of land or source of income granted by a lord in exchange for service under the feudal system.
Did you know?The word ultimately traces back to a Germanic root meaning “cattle” or “movable wealth,” showing how land, power, and possession were once tied to living property, not just real estate.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*fehu
“cattle, movable wealth, property”
Old High German
OHG
fihu
“cattle, property”
Medieval Latin
Latin
feodum / feudum
“a feudal estate held in exchange for service”
Old French
Old French
fief
“a feudal estate or tenure”
Middle English
English
fief
“a feudal landholding granted by a lord”