Fe"al*ty (?), n. [OE. faute, OF.
fauté, fealté, feelé,
feelteit, fr. L. fidelitas, fr. fidelis
faithful. See Feal, and cf. Fidelity.]
1. Fidelity to one's lord; the feudal obligation
by which the tenant or vassal was bound to be faithful to his lord;
the special oath by which this obligation was assumed; fidelity to a
superior power, or to a government; loyality. It is no longer the
practice to exact the performance of fealty, as a feudal
obligation. Wharton (Law Dict. ). Tomlins.
2. Fidelity; constancy; faithfulness, as of a
friend to a friend, or of a wife to her husband.
He should maintain fealty to God.
I. Taylor.
Makes wicked lightnings of her eyes, and saps
The fealty of our friends.
tennyson.
Swore fealty to the new
government.
Macaulay.
&fist; Fealty is distinguished from homage, which is
an acknowledgment of tenure, while fealty implies an oath. See
Homage. Wharton.
Syn. -- Homage; loyality; fidelity; constancy.
