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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

fealty \fe"al*ty\ (f[=e]"al*t[y^]), n. [OE. feaute, OF.
feaut['e], fealt['e], feelt['e], 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.
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2. Fidelity; constancy; faithfulness, as of a friend to a
friend, or of a wife to her husband.
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He should maintain fealty to God. --I. Taylor.
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Makes wicked lightnings of her eyes, and saps
The fealty of our friends. --tennyson.
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Swore fealty to the new government. --Macaulay.
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Note: Fealty is distinguished from {homage}, which is an
acknowledgment of tenure, while fealty implies an oath.
See {Homage}. --Wharton.

Syn: Homage; loyality; fidelity; constancy.
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