liege

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Pronunciation 1.3 Noun 1.3.1 Translations 1.4 Adjective 1.4.1 Translations 1.5 Related terms

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

Middle English lege, lige, liege from Anglo-Norman lige from Old French liege "liege, free", of Germanic origin, from Middle High German ledic, ledec "free, empty, vacant" (Modern German ledig "empty, vacant") from Proto-Germanic *liþuga (“‘flexible, free, unoccupied’”). Akin to Old Frisian leþeg, leþoch "free", Old English liþiġ "flexible", Old Norse liðugr "free, unhindered", Middle Dutch ledich "idle, unemployed", Middle English lethi "unoccupied, at leisure".

An alternate etymology traces the Old French word from Late Latin laeticus "of or relating to a semifree colonist in Gaul" from laetus "a semi-free colonist", of Germanic origin, akin to Old English læt "servant".

[edit] Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -iːdʒ

[edit] Noun

liege (plural lieges)

1. A free and independent person; specifically, a lord paramount; a sovereign.
2. The subject of a sovereign or lord; a liegeman.

[edit] Translations

[edit] Adjective

liege (not comparable)

1. Sovereign; independent; having authority or right to allegiance; as, a liege lord.
2. Serving an independent sovereign or master; bound by a feudal tenure; obliged to be faithful and loyal to a superior, as a vassal to his lord; faithful; loyal; as, a liege man; a liege subject.
3. Full; perfect; complete; pure.

[edit] Translations

[edit] Related terms

• liege lord
• liegeman