Feudatary

/fjuːˈdeɪtəri/ noun

Definition

A variant form of feudatory; a person who holds a feudal estate or fief.

Etymology

An alternative spelling/form of feudatory, from Medieval Latin feudatarius. This variant appears in older texts and legal documents, representing a different Latinization of the feudal tenant concept.

Kelly Says

The difference between feudatary, feudary, and feudatory is mainly historical spelling variation—medieval scribes didn't have standardized spelling, so the same concept got dozens of versions before English settled on preferred forms.

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