Etymology Map
Back to all words

Vassal

3 stages from Gaulish to English.

Today it means a person or country subordinate to another

Where does the word "vassal" come from? It comes from Gaulish gwas, passing through Medieval Latin before entering English (1300s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
gwas
Gaulish · ancient
"servant, young man"
a Celtic word, related to Welsh 'gwas', servant or lad
2
Stage 2 of 3
vassallus
Medieval Latin · medieval
"retainer"
used in Frankish law for a man bound to a lord by an oath of loyalty
3
Stage 3 of 3
vassal
English · 1300s
"a person holding land from a lord"
William the Conqueror made English landholders swear fealty as vassals at the Oath of Salisbury in 1086
Drag to pan · scroll to zoom
Read the full story

Vassal’s story begins in Gaulish: gwas meant “servant, young man.” A Celtic word, related to Welsh 'gwas', servant or lad. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Medieval Latin as vassallus. Used in Frankish law for a man bound to a lord by an oath of loyalty. It reached English by 1300s as vassal. William the Conqueror made English landholders swear fealty as vassals at the Oath of Salisbury in 1086. Today, vassal means a person or country subordinate to another.