Feudalism Vocabulary

noun a social and economic system based on the holding of land in exchange for labor and military service

• The feudal system was a social structure that dominated medieval Europe.
• Back in the day, the feudal system was how things were run.
• The feudal system was like a really old-school way of organizing society.
• In a way, some modern workplaces can feel like a feudal system with power dynamics and hierarchy.

noun a person who is in a position of power or authority over others, especially a feudal lord

• The overlord of the kingdom ruled with an iron fist.
• The overlord is throwing a lavish party at the castle tonight.
• Yo, that overlord dude is so powerful, he controls everything around here.
• In her mind, fear was the overlord that dictated every decision she made.

noun a person who is poor or has low social status, typically a farmer or laborer

• The peasant worked hard in the fields to provide for his family.
• The peasant down the road always has the best vegetables in town.
• That peasant dude is always so chill and laid back.
• She felt like a peasant in a world of royalty, always struggling to keep up with the wealthy elite.

noun a system of labor in which people are bound to work on a particular piece of land and are treated as the property of the landowner

• Serfdom was a system of labor in medieval Europe where peasants were bound to work on their lord's land.
• Back in the day, serfdom meant peasants had to work for the lord without much freedom.
• Being stuck in serfdom was like being a slave to the landowner.
• In modern times, some people feel trapped in a form of serfdom to their jobs, working long hours with little control over their lives.