Fe"al*ty (?), n. [OE.
faute, OF. fauté,
fealté, feelé,
feelteit, fr. L. fidelitas, fr.
fidelis faithful. See
Feal, and cf. Fidelity.]
1. Fidelity to one's lord; the feudal obligation by which the tenant or vassal was bound to be faithful to his lord; the
special oath by which this
obligation was assumed; fidelity to a superior
power, or to
a government; loyality. It is no longer the practice to exact the performance of fealty, as a feudal obligation.
Wharton (Law Dict. ). Tomlins.
2. Fidelity; constancy; faithfulness, as of a friend to a friend, or of a wife to her husband.
He should maintain fealty to God.
I. Taylor. Makes wicked lightnings of her eyes, and saps
The fealty of our friends.
tennyson. Swore fealty to the new government.
Macaulay.
&fist; Fealty is distinguished from homage, which is an acknowledgment of tenure, while fealty implies an oath. See Homage. Wharton.
Syn. -- Homage; loyality; fidelity; constancy.
Hear it pronounced