The social system that developed in Europe in the 8th century; vassals were protected by lords who they had to serve in war.
synonym: feudal system.
Roget 737a:
government,
legal authority,
soveriegn,
sovereign authority;
authority
etc.
737;
master
etc.
745;
direction
etc.
693.
[nations]
national government,
nation,
state,
country,
nation-state,
dominion,
republic,
empire,
union,
democratic republic;
kingdom,
principality.
[subdivisions of nations]
state government [Lat.],
state;
shire [Brit.];
province [Can.];
county [Ire.];
canton [Switz.];
territory [Austral.];
duchy,
archduchy,
archdukedom†;
woiwodshaft;
commonwealth;
region
etc.
181;
property
etc.
780.
[smaller subdivisions]
county,
parish
city,
domain,
tract,
arrondissement [Fr.],
mofussil†,
commune;
wappentake,
hundred,
riding,
lathe,
garth†,
soke†,
tithing;
ward,
precinct,
bailiwick.
command,
empire,
sway,
rule;
dominion,
domination;
sovereignty,
supremacy,
suzerainty;
lordship,
headship†;
chiefdom†;
seigniory,
seigniority†.
rule,
sway,
command,
control,
administer;
govern
etc.
(direct)
693;
lead,
preside over,
reign,
possess the throne,
be seated on the throne,
occupy the throne;
sway the scepter,
wield the scepter;
wear the crown.
state,
realm,
body politic,
posse comitatus [Lat.].
[person in the governing authority]
judicature
etc.
965;
cabinet
etc.
(council)
696;
seat of government,
seat of authority;
headquarters.
[Acquisition of authority]
accession;
installation
etc.
755;
politics
etc.
737.1.
reign,
regime,
dynasty;
directorship,
dictatorship;
protectorate,
protectorship;
caliphate,
pashalic†,
electorate;
presidency,
presidentship†;
administration;
proconsul,
consulship;
prefecture;
seneschalship;
magistrature†,
magistracy.
monarchy;
kinghood†,
kingship;
royalty,
regality;
aristarchy†,
aristocracy;
oligarchy,
democracy,
theocracy,
demagogy;
commonwealth;
dominion;
heteronomy;
republic,
republicanism;
socialism;
collectivism;
mob law,
mobocracy†,
ochlocracy†;
vox populi,
imperium in imperio [Lat.];
bureaucracy;
beadledom†,
bumbledom†;
stratocracy;
military power,
military government,
junta;
feodality†,
feudal system,
feudalism.
thearchy†,
theocracy,
dinarchy†;
duarchy†,
triarchy,
heterarchy†;
duumvirate;
triumvirate;
autocracy,
autonomy;
limited monarchy;
constitutional government,
constitutional monarchy;
home rule;
representative government;
monocracy†,
pantisocracy†.
gynarchy†,
gynocracy†,
gynaeocracy†;
petticoat government.
[government functions]
legislature,
judiciary,
administration.
[Government agencies and institutions]
office of the president,
office of the prime minister,
cabinet;
senate,
house of representatives,
parliament;
council
etc.
696;
courts,
supreme court;
[U.S. national government departments],
state,
interior,
labor,
health and human services,
defense,
education,
agriculture,
justice,
commerce,
treasury;
Federal Bureau of Investigation,
FBI;
Central Intelligence Agency,
CIA;
National Institutes of Health,
NIH;
Postal Service,
Post Office;
Federal Aviation Administration,
FAA.
[national government officials]
president,
vice president,
cabinet member,
prime minister,
minister;
senator,
representatative,
president pro tem [Lat.],
speaker of the house;
department head,
section head,
section chief;
federal judge,
justice,
justice of the supreme court,
chief justice;
treasurer,
secretary of the treasury;
director of the FBI.
[state government officials]
governor,
state cabinet member;
state senator,
assemblyman,
assemblywoman.
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Roget 749:
subjection;
dependence,
dependency;
subordination;
thrall,
thralldom,
thraldom,
enthrallment,
subjugation,
bondage,
serfdom;
feudalism,
feudality†;
vassalage,
villenage;
slavery,
enslavement,
involuntary servitude;
conquest.
service;
servitude,
servitorship†;
tendence†,
employ,
tutelage,
clientship†;
liability
etc.
177;
constraint
etc.
751;
oppression
etc.
(severity)
739;
yoke
etc.
(means of restraint)
752;
submission
etc.
725;
obedience
etc.
743.
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Dutch: feodalisme, leenstelsel
Polish: feudalizm