Home › Words › S › subvassalsubvassalsubvassal means the vassal of a vassal.Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, subvassal ranks #3,411 of 42,747 for Qualifying.EtymologyFrom sub- + vassal. Compare earlier subvavasour.nounThe vassal of a vassal.e.g.“A Carolingian capitulary of 799 allowed the church to assign its property as benefices to lay subvassals to circumvent the canon law restriction on clergy serving as warriors.” — 2016, Peter H. Wilson, The Holy Roman Empire, Penguin, published 2017, page 329:Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).Words closest in meaningBy meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.vavasour 75% match — a subvassal; someone holding their lands from a vassal of the crown rather than from the crown directly vs subvassal →subvillain 68% match — A lesser or subsidiary villain. vs subvassal →vassalry 68% match — Collectively, the vassals. vs subvassal →vassalitic 67% match — Pertaining to or characteristic of the status of vassal. vs subvassal →vassal 67% match — The grantee of a fief, a subordinate granted use of a superior's land and its income in exchange for vows of fidelity and homage and (typically) military service. vs subvassal →vassaless 67% match — A female vassal. vs subvassal →vassalage 66% match — The state of being a vassal; fealty. vs subvassal →subfeu 65% match — A feu sublet by a vassal to a subvassal: a right to hold subinfeudated land in perpetuity in exchange for rent. vs subvassal →