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 in the early 14th century, 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 noun fidēlitās, meaning “fidelity.” These words come ultimately from fidēs, the Latin word for “faith.”
Examples of fealty in a Sentence
Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 June 2025
As chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois and speaker of the Illinois House, Madigan was able to control millions in party campaign funds and thus the fealty of lawmakers.
—Matt Paprocki, Chicago Tribune, 17 June 2025
Declaring fealty to this point of view has now become a sacred rite within the GOP, not unlike endorsement of the claim that the 2020 election was a fraud.
—Daniel Engber, The Atlantic, 20 May 2025
Martin’s flair for fealty set him apart even from fellow Trump supporters.
—Jeremy Kohler, ProPublica, 24 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fealty
Cite this Entry
“Fealty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fealty. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
Copy Citation
Share