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Duchy vs Fiefdom - What's the difference?

duchy | fiefdom |

As nouns the difference between duchy and fiefdom

is that duchy is a dominion or region ruled by a duke or duchess while fiefdom is the estate controlled by a feudal lord; a fief.

duchy

English

Noun

(wikipedia duchy) (duchies)
  • A dominion or region ruled by a duke or duchess.
  • * A Grand Duchy may be a self-governing state.
  • * A simple duchy tends to be a part of a larger kingdom or empire.

    • Related terms

    * barony * bishop * county * ducal * duchess * duke * march * marquess * marquessate * viscount ----

    fiefdom

    English

    (wikipedia fiefdom)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The estate controlled by a feudal lord; a fief.
    • The duke's fiefdom had been greatly expanded as a reward for his dutiful military service on behalf of the king.
  • (by extension, mostly, pejorative) Any organization in the control of a dominant individual.
    • Most of our company's computers are standardized, but the IT director allows the employees in his own little fiefdom to specify their own machines.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2012 , date=April 23 , author=Angelique Chrisafis , title=François Hollande on top but far right scores record result in French election , work=the Guardian citation , page= , passage=Hollande told cheering supporters in his rural fiefdom of Corrèze in south-west France that he was best-placed to lead France towards change, saying the vote marked a "rejection" of Sarkozy and a "sanction" against his five years in office.}}