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tributary

tributary

9.1
Paying money or goods to a stronger country to show the country is in control
  • adjective
  • /ˈtrɪb.jə.ter.i/
  • Archaic
translation icon : tributario
  • Throughout history, tributary states have often been required to pay tribute to their conquerors.

Examples

  • The tributary nations sent gifts to the emperor as a sign of their loyalty.

  • The king demanded that his tributary regions show their allegiance through regular offerings.

  • Let's shift to the next big tributary, which is post colonial theory and you talk about Edward Saeed, New York zone, Columbia zone.

Synonyms

beholden
vstributary
  • Formal
32 8.0

Feeling that you should repay someone for their help

is a formal political payment indicating dependence rather than personal gratitude
feudatory
vstributary
9.9

Relating to a system where people owe loyalty to a lord

is broader, meaning tribute payment showing dependence not limited to feudal allegiance

Antonyms

984 2.3

Not controlled by others

How Dependent

colony
96 3.3
vassal
7 9.9
tributary
  • Archaic
9.1
clientage
  • Archaic
9.9
allied
346 4.3
independent
360 2.8

Surface Forms

tributary positive

Morphology

tributary = tribute (transparent) = tribute + ary

Directly formed from 'tribute' + '-ary' with the meaning 'relating to paying tribute', which is a straightforward adjectival derivation.

Etymology

Tributary shares its root with tribute, from a Latin word meaning 'to give' or 'payment'. So a 'tributary' state is one that must 'give' goods or money to a stronger power, which is why the word means 'paying tribute' or being dependent.