Etymology: In sense 1 perhaps originally a substantive use of feal adj., with the sense ‘one who owes fealty’; but it appears to have been interpreted as if < fee n.² or fee v.¹ + -al suffix¹, and this derivation probably gave rise to the other senses. Compare Old French fieal pertaining to a fief ( < fié = fief), and medieval Latin fealiter (Du Cange) = feodaliter ‘by feudal law’.

Etymology: < Old French feal, altered form (by substitution of suffix: see -al suffix¹) of feeil < Latin fidēlem faithful, < fidēs faith.

Etymology: A northern and north midland word, < Old Norse fela to hide, also to commit, commend = Gothic filhan to hide, bury < Old Germanic *felhan, strong verb (preterite falh-, past participle *folgano-). In Middle English and modern dialects always conjugated weak. Apparently equivalent in form, though the relation in sense is obscure, are Old English féolan (fealh, folgen) to stick fast, to reach, attain, Old High German felahan to put together. The compound verb Old English bi-féolan to entrust, commit, command, corresponds in form and sense to Old Frisian bifella, Old Saxon bifelhan (Dutch bevelen), Old High German bifelahan (Middle High German bevelhen, modern German befehlen).