Feud and Feudal Are Not the Same Word
A feud is a long bitter quarrel. The similar-looking word feudal comes from an entirely different source.
A feud is a prolonged and bitter quarrel, especially between families. Despite appearances it has nothing to do with *feudal*: the quarrel comes from Old French *feide*, hostility, while *feudal* comes from medieval Latin *feudum*, an estate held in return for service. Two unrelated words converged on almost the same spelling. A *blood feud* was a recognised legal institution in early Germanic and Icelandic law, with compensation payments set to end it.
- A long quarrel. *A family feud.*
- To quarrel bitterly. *They feuded for years.*
- Blood feud. *A blood feud.*
- Feudal — an unrelated word. *Feudal.*
- Old French — *feide*, hostility. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | feud | A feud. |
| Plural | feuds | Feuds. |
| Verb | feud | Feuding. |
| Unrelated | feudal | Feudal. |
| Old French | feide | Hostility. |
- The feud lasted generations.Quarrel.
- Two families feuded openly.Verb.
- Feudal is a different word.Etymology.
How feuds were settled in old law
- Wergild — a fixed payment for a killing, set by the victim's rank
- Paying it legally ended the family's right to revenge
- Refusing it kept the feud open
- Icelandic sagas record the system in detail
- The aim was to replace endless revenge with settlement
Old French *feide*, hostility, of Germanic origin, related to Old English *fæhth*, enmity.
Are feud and feudal related?
No. The quarrel comes from a Germanic word for hostility. Feudal comes from medieval Latin feudum, an estate held for service.
What was wergild?
A fixed compensation paid for a killing in early Germanic law, calculated by the victim's rank, which legally ended the feud.