Faithful, loyal, or true to one's word; an archaic term for a loyal vassal or follower.
From Old French 'feal,' derived from Latin 'fidelis' (faithful). The word was common in medieval English for describing feudal loyalty and remained in use through the 16th century before being superseded by 'faithful' and 'loyal.'
This word carries the bones of the feudal system within it—every 'feal' vassal represented a binding contract of mutual obligation, making it one of the most legally charged words in medieval vocabulary, yet today it's completely forgotten by most English speakers.
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