Feudalism (noun)

A social, economic, and political system that existed in Europe from the 9th to the 15th centuries, characterized by the division of the population into a small nobility and a large class of serfs who were bound to the land and owed allegiance to their lords.

Origin:

From medieval latin 'feudalismus' (feudal system), from 'feudum' (feud, fief).

Examples:

1. Feudalism was the dominant social system in Europe during the Middle Ages.
2. The lords of the manor held extensive power and influence under feudalism, as they controlled the land and the people who lived on it.
3. The feudal relationship between the lord and his vassals was defined by a complex set of rights, obligations, and privileges.
4. The decline of feudalism was accelerated by the Black Death, which decimated the population and disrupted the labor force.
5. The rise of merchant cities and the growth of a money economy marked the end of feudalism and the beginning of the modern era.