Dictionary

fiefdom en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈfiːf.dəm/

Etymology

From fief + -dom.

Meanings

1. (countable, historical, uncountable) The estate controlled by a feudal lord.
   • "If you wish to offer any of my vassals fiefdoms or positions in your new kingdom, they have my leave to accept. I promised them that when they came with me." 1989, Robert Shea, The Saracen, The Holy War:
   • The duke's fiefdom had been greatly expanded as a reward for his dutiful military service on behalf of the king.
2. (broadly, countable, derogatory, uncountable) Any organization in the control of a dominant individual.
   • Hollande told cheering supporters in his rural fiefdom of Corrèze in south-west France that he was best-placed to lead France towards change, saying the vote marked a "rejection" of Sarkozy and a "sanction" against his five years in office. 2012 April 23, Angelique Chrisafis, “François Hollande on top but far right scores record result in French election”, in The Guardian:
   • “[Bill Clinton] was just walking around, looking in all the offices, like he was surveying his fiefdom. He had a big grin on his face.” 2008, David Maraniss, First In His Class: A Biography Of Bill Clinton, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN:
   • Bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX was run as the “personal fiefdom” of founder Sam Bankman-Fried, with one of the company’s units spending $300m on real estate in the Bahamas for the use of its executives, a court heard on Tuesday. 2022 November 22, Dominic Rushe, “FTX was run as ‘personal fiefdom’ of Sam Bankman-Fried, court hears”, in The Guardian:

Forms

Synonyms

fief

Translations (30)

cmn 采邑 (estate controlled by a feudal lord) · ja 領国 (estate controlled by a feudal lord) · fi läänitys (estate controlled by a feudal lord) · gl couto (estate controlled by a feudal lord) · cmn 地盤 /地盘 (organization in the control of a dominant individual) · nl leen (estate controlled by a feudal lord) · de Lehnsgut (estate controlled by a feudal lord) · ru феод (estate controlled by a feudal lord) · pl domena (organization in the control of a dominant individual) · de Herrschaftsgebiet (organization in the control of a dominant individual) · es feudo (estate controlled by a feudal lord) · es feudo (organization in the control of a dominant individual) · nl heerlijkheid (estate controlled by a feudal lord) · ja レーエン (estate controlled by a feudal lord) · pl lenno (estate controlled by a feudal lord) · de Revier (organization in the control of a dominant individual) · ja 藩 (estate controlled by a feudal lord) · ca feu (estate controlled by a feudal lord) · fi valtakunta (organization in the control of a dominant individual) · de Lehen (estate controlled by a feudal lord) · ca feu (organization in the control of a dominant individual) · pt feudo (estate controlled by a feudal lord) · gl feudo (estate controlled by a feudal lord) · nl leengoed (estate controlled by a feudal lord) · de Herrschaft (estate controlled by a feudal lord) · de Reich (organization in the control of a dominant individual) · fr seigneurie (estate controlled by a feudal lord) · pl feudum (estate controlled by a feudal lord) · it feudo (estate controlled by a feudal lord) · cmn 封地 (estate controlled by a feudal lord)