feudal

The story

1. Proto-Germanic · derived from*fehu“cattle”
2. Frankish · derived from*fehu“cattle, owndom, property, fee”
3. Medieval Latin · derived fromfeodalis
4. Old French · derived fromfeodal
5. English todayfeudal

From Old French feodal, from Medieval Latin feodalis, from feodum, feudum, fevum (“fief, fee”), from Frankish *fehu (“cattle, owndom, property, fee”), from Proto-Germanic *fehu (“cattle”). By surface analysis, feud (“estate”) + -al. More at fee.

Words from the same roots