Grade 12 College Vocabulary, Week 21

Definition: The position or authority of an overlord; control by one state over another that keeps its own internal government.

From the reading: ""Thus you see, my boy, that King Edward at this time fully recognized the perfect independence of Scotland, and raised no claim to any suzerainty over it." (In Freedom's Cause)

Synonyms:

overlordship, dominion, sovereignty

Antonyms:

independence

Root:French suzerain, from sus, above.

Definition: The state of being a vassal; subordination.

From the reading: "So Gareth all for glory underwent The sooty yoke of kitchen-vassalage; Ate with young lads his portion by the door, And couched at night with grimy kitchen-knaves." (Idylls of the King)

Synonyms:

subjection, servitude, fealty

Antonyms:

independence, lordship

Root:Medieval Latin vassallus, from Celtic, servant.

Definition: The right of the firstborn son to inherit his parent's entire estate.

From the reading: "The law has abolished the rights of primogeniture, but circumstances have concurred to re-establish it under a form of which none can complain, and by which no just rights are impaired." (Democracy in America)

Synonyms:

birthright, inheritance

Antonyms:

(none exact)

Root:Latin primo, first + genitura, begetting.

Definition: Land attached to a manor and kept for the lord's own use; a domain.

From the reading: "Finally, thou oughtest to bear with whatever takes place within the boundaries of Fortune's demesne, when thou hast placed thy head beneath her yoke." (The Consolation of Philosophy)

Synonyms:

estate, domain, manor lands

Antonyms:

(none exact)

Root:Old French demeine, belonging to a lord.

Definition: Under the feudal system, to give freehold property or land in exchange for pledged service.

Context (original sentence): The king enfeoffed his loyal knight with three villages.

Synonyms:

invest, endow, grant

Antonyms:

(none exact)

Root:Old French enfeffer, from fief.

Definition: A personal possession; an item of property other than land or buildings.

From the reading: "This same gentleman, having heard of the fame of George’s invention, took a ride over to the factory, to see what this intelligent chattel had been about." (Uncle Tom's Cabin)

Synonyms:

possession, belonging, goods

Antonyms:

real estate

Root:Old French chatel, property, from Latin capitale.

Definition: An agricultural laborer bound under the feudal system to work on his lord's estate.

From the reading: "All the aristocracies of the Middle Ages were founded by military conquest; the conqueror was the noble, the vanquished became the serf." (Democracy in America)

Synonyms:

villein, bondman, peasant

Antonyms:

freeman, lord

Root:Latin servus, slave.

Definition: A man holding and cultivating a small landed estate; a freeholder.

From the reading: "He satisfied himself, however, with commanding the men-at-arms, who surrounded the lists, to keep an eye on the braggart, pointing to the yeoman." (Ivanhoe)

Synonyms:

freeholder, farmer, smallholder

Antonyms:

(none exact)

Root:Middle English yoman, perhaps from young man.

Definition: A young nobleman acting as attendant to a knight; a country gentleman.

From the reading: "His name is mentioned as one of six poor pupils of the Merchant Taylors' School, who received assistance from a generous country squire." (The Faerie Queene, Book I)

Synonyms:

attendant, esquire, landowner

Antonyms:

(none exact)

Root:Old French esquier, shield bearer.

Definition: The steward or major-domo of a medieval great house.

From the reading: "For uttermost obedience make demand Of whom ye gave me to, the Seneschal, No mellow master of the meats and drinks!" (Idylls of the King)

Synonyms:

steward, major-domo, bailiff

Antonyms:

(none exact)

Root:Old French seneschal, from Frankish, senior servant.

Definition: The governor of a castle.

Context (original sentence): The castellan held the fortress for six months against the siege.

Synonyms:

warden, keeper, constable

Antonyms:

(none exact)

Root:Latin castellanus, of a castle.

Definition: A large country house with lands; the unit of land under the feudal system.

From the reading: "The fire-spewing dragon fully had wasted The fastness of warriors, the water-land outward, The manor with fire." (Beowulf)

Synonyms:

estate, demesne, hall

Antonyms:

(none exact)

Root:Old French manoir, dwelling, from Latin manere, to remain.

Definition: The territory of a duke or duchess.

From the reading: "And he gave to Sir Priamus the duchy of Lorraine; and he thanked him, and said he would serve him the days of his life; and after made dukes and earls, and made every man rich." (Le Morte d'Arthur)

Synonyms:

dukedom, principality, domain

Antonyms:

(none exact)

Root:Old French duché, from Latin dux, leader.

Definition: A nobleman ranking above a count and below a duke.

From the reading: "A MARQUIS (seeing that the hall is half empty): What now!" (Cyrano de Bergerac)

Synonyms:

nobleman, marquess, lord

Antonyms:

commoner

Root:Old French marchis, from marche, border.

Definition: The eldest son of the king of France.

Context (original sentence): Joan of Arc led the dauphin to be crowned at Reims.

Synonyms:

crown prince, heir

Antonyms:

(none exact)

Root:French dauphin, dolphin (a title from the lords of Dauphiné).

Definition: A high official in some Muslim countries, especially under the Ottoman Empire.

From the reading: "Accordingly, and although we do not find it to be leap-year (which makes the sacrifice more meritorious), she deputes her father, the grand vizier, to make an offer to the king of her hand." (The Works of Edgar Allan Poe)

Synonyms:

minister, counselor, chancellor

Antonyms:

(none exact)

Root:Arabic wazir, helper.

Definition: A provincial governor in the ancient Persian empire; a subordinate ruler.

From the reading: "I saw the satrap of Teheran once, and he wore a turban of silk and a cloak of cloth of gold, and the hilt and scabbard of his sword made me dizzy with their splendor of precious stones." (Ben-Hur)

Synonyms:

governor, viceroy, deputy

Antonyms:

(none exact)

Root:Old Persian khshathrapavan, protector of the realm.

Definition: A provincial governor of the Byzantine Empire; a bishop below the patriarch in Eastern churches.

Context (original sentence): The exarch of Ravenna ruled Italy in the emperor's name.

Synonyms:

governor, viceroy; bishop

Antonyms:

(none exact)

Root:Greek exarchos, leader.

Definition: The governor of one of four divisions of a country or province.

Context (original sentence): Herod the tetrarch ruled Galilee in the days of John the Baptist.

Synonyms:

ruler, governor, prince

Antonyms:

(none exact)

Root:Greek tetra, four + arkhein, to rule.

Definition: A ruler exercising authority in a colony on behalf of a sovereign.

From the reading: "The Duke of Alva, viceroy for Philip in Sicily, made answer that he would endeavor to relieve the Order, if they could hold out Fort St." (A Book of Golden Deeds)

Synonyms:

governor, regent, deputy

Antonyms:

(none exact)

Root:French vice, in place of + roi, king.