: a person under the protection of a feudal lord to whom he has vowed homage and fealty : a feudal tenant
2
: one in a subservient or subordinate position
vassaladjective
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the WebHis only demand from Beijing is for a full grant of autonomy to the Uyghurs under the terms of China’s constitution and for an end to the vassal-like subordination of Uyghurs by the Han Chinese. Tunku Varadarajan, WSJ, 15 July 2022 Anyone not Dahomean was either a vassal, a victim, or a captive to be sold to European trading companies, which had established barracoons by the sea. David Wright Faladé, The New Yorker, 4 July 2022 This time round, the only ones on the Russian side are the Russian Federation itself, and Belarus, which has effectively become a Russian vassal state in the last couple years and served as a launchpad for this year's Ukraine invasion. David Meyer, Fortune, 1 July 2022 Basically, this would turn Russia into a colony of China and Putin into Xi’s vassal. Wal Van Lierop, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2022 The answer is to be seen in Belarus, now largely a Russian vassal state. Jason Fields, The Week, 22 Mar. 2022 Western analysts have warned that, despite tougher-than-expected resistance from Ukrainian forces and sanctions by the U.S. and its allies, Putin appears determined to prosecute the war until Ukraine is conquered and turned into a vassal state.Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2022 Russia is now again promising humanitarian corridors…leading to Russia and its vassal Belarus. David Meyer, Fortune, 7 Mar. 2022 Because Moscow retains a close partner in this effort to geld Ukraine—a vassal state that presents the model for what Putin would like to accomplish in Ukraine: Belarus. Casey Michel, The New Republic, 1 Mar. 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Medieval Latin vassallus "serf of the manor house, household servant, lord's man who has received a fief," borrowed from Gaulish *wassall-, derivative of *wass- "servant" (whence Medieval Latin vassus "serf, servant, holder of a fief"), going back to Celtic *wosto-, whence Welsh gwas "boy, servant," Middle Breton goas, Old Irish foss "servant, attendant"
Note: Celtic *wasto- is generally taken to continue Indo-European *upo-sth2-o- "one who stands under," which may be correct if Gaulish *wass- shares with British Celtic unrounding of o in this position.