Vavasour

From Fresh Dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Pronunciation 1.3 Noun

English

Etymology

From Old French vavasour, from mediæval Latin vavassor, perhaps from vassus vassorum ‘vassal of vassals’.

Pronunciation

IPA: /'vævəsʊə/

Noun

Singular vavasour

Plural vavasours

1. (historical) a subvassal; someone holding their lands from a vassal of the crown rather than from the crown directly

   • Late C14: A shirreve hadde he been, and a contour. / Was nowher swich a worthy vavasour. — Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales