fealty
noun
Nicholas Dawidoff
Did you know?
In The Use of Law, published posthumously in 1629, Francis Bacon wrote, "Fealty is to take an oath upon a book, that he will be a faithful Tenant to the King." That's a pretty accurate summary of the early meaning of fealty. Early forms of the term were used in Middle English around 1300, when they specifically designated the loyalty of a vassal to a lord. Eventually, the meaning of the word broadened. Fealty can be paid to a country, a principle, or a leader of any kind—though the synonyms fidelity and loyalty are more commonly used. Fealty comes from the Anglo-French word feelté, or fealté, which comes from the Latin fidelitas, meaning "fidelity." These words are ultimately derived from fides, the Latin word for "faith."
Synonyms
- adhesion
- allegiance
- attachment
- commitment
- constancy
- dedication
- devotedness
- devotion
- faith
- faithfulness
- fastness
- fidelity
- loyalty
- piety
- steadfastness
- troth
Example Sentences
Randall Colburn, EW.com, 22 Aug. 2022 Frankfurter, who had no children of his own, hazed and doted on these protégés in equal measure, and in the process inspired a lifetime of fealty. Justin Driver, The Atlantic, 12 Aug. 2022 Such people expected political fealty, not religious faith. Casey Cep, The New Yorker, 6 Dec. 2021 Carax conceptualizes the miracle of birth, pondering this generation’s relation to procreation, parenthood, fealty, obligation, loyalty, love, and the future. Armond White, National Review, 13 Aug. 2021 For Republican voters in Arizona, the extent to which the candidates for attorney general show fealty to Trump could decide the race. Tara Kavaler, The Arizona Republic, 11 May 2022 Such data, which reflects a year of lies by Trump and conservative media, helps explain why the House GOP especially has anchored its hopes of capturing a majority in the midterm elections on fealty to the insurrectionist ex-President. Stephen Collinson, CNN, 3 Jan. 2022 Boosted by Donald Trump’s endorsement, Masters is gobbling up most of the attention in a primary defined above all else by fealty to the former president. Jonathan J. Cooper, ajc, 30 July 2022 Pledging fealty to the Chinese Communist Party would have been highly unusual not too long ago when Hong Kong still boasted opposition lawmakers, a vibrant independent media and a stable of human rights lawyers. Hsiuwen Liu, Los Angeles Times, 27 July 2022 See More Word History
Middle English feute, fealtye, borrowed from Anglo-French feelté, fealté, going back to Latin fidēlitāt-, fidēlitās "faithfulness, loyalty" — more at fidelity
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
fealty
noun
Synonyms & Similar Words
- allegiance
- loyalty
- commitment
- dedication
- devotion
- fidelity
- faithfulness
- steadfastness
- piety
- troth
- attachment
- adhesion
- constancy
- devotedness
- faith
- affection
- fastness
- fondness
- dependability
- reliability
- determination
- resolution
- trustworthiness
- firmness
- trustiness
- trustability
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- disloyalty
- treachery
- perfidy
- faithlessness
- falsity
- falseness
- inconstancy
- unfaithfulness
- infidelity
- alienation
- perfidiousness
- disaffection
- separation
- estrangement
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of fealty are allegiance, devotion, fidelity, loyalty, and piety. While all these words mean "faithfulness to something to which one is bound by pledge or duty," fealty implies a fidelity acknowledged by the individual and as compelling as a sworn vow.
While the synonyms allegiance and fealty are close in meaning, allegiance suggests an adherence like that of citizens to their country.
The meanings of devotion and fealty largely overlap; however, devotion stresses zeal and service amounting to self-dedication.
While in some cases nearly identical to fealty, fidelity implies strict and continuing faithfulness to an obligation, trust, or duty.
The words loyalty and fealty are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, loyalty implies a faithfulness that is steadfast in the face of any temptation to renounce, desert, or betray.
The synonyms piety and fealty are sometimes interchangeable, but piety stresses fidelity to obligations regarded as natural and fundamental.