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fiefdom

fiefdom

9 9.6
An area controlled by one person or group, like a private kingdom
  • noun
  • /ˈfiːf.dəm/
translation icon : feudo
  • After the shake-up, each department head managed their unit as a fiefdom, limiting collaboration across the organization.
  • personal fiefdom
  • own fiefdom

But it's hard to manage the cost now because the professionals are running their own little fiefdoms.

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Examples

  • Thus, each warlord rules his region as a fiefdom, enforcing laws and even collecting taxes.

    Academic text (1997)
  • How could Corner Man maintain his little fiefdom for years without Metro looking the other way?

    Blog text (24)
  • But they did admit that each individual ambassador runs her little fiefdom as she sees fit.

    Blog text (7)
  • Hani's interests extend only to his own little fiefdom.

  • New professional fiefdoms arise and old ones pass away.

    Academic text (2010)
  • And without reliable means of communication and transportation, remote local administrative units become isolated, independent fiefdoms.

    Academic text (2001)
  • Today, the country is divided into several hostile fiefdoms, and anarchy reigns in much of the countryside.

    Academic text (1997)
  • Provincial governors threatened and bargained with the Kremlin while exploiting their regions like feudal fiefdoms.

    Academic text (2002)
  • In the small town, the mayor's decisions created a personal fiefdom that excluded the voices of the community.

  • The corporation operated like a fiefdom, with the CEO exercising complete control over all departments.

Synonyms

empire
vsfiefdom
226 3.5

A group of countries that one ruler or government controls

is typically smaller and refers to a single person or group's dominated area rather than many regions
domain
vsfiefdom
41 5.6

An area controlled by a ruler, government, or organization

is narrower in focusing on domination by a single person or group rather than any ruler
earldom
vsfiefdom
2 9.9

A noble title that includes land and duties in some countries

is the more general idea of one person or group controlling an area rather than a rank
imperium
vsfiefdom
  • Specialized
2 9.9

Lands and people under the control of an emperor

is smaller in scale, meaning control by one person or group rather than imperial rule
fief
vsfiefdom
1 9.9

A piece of land given by a lord to a person who serves them

covers any area or organization dominated by one person or group not only land grants
dukedom
vsfiefdom
1 9.9

A region of land ruled by a person with a high royal title

is similar but applies to any person or group dominating a territory, not only nobles
chiefdom
vsfiefdom
1 7.1

A society or community ruled by a leader called a chief

is wider, applying to any organizational or territorial domination beyond tribal leadership
sheikhdom
vsfiefdom
1 9.3

A country or area with a Muslim leader called a sheikh

is broader, meaning any domain under single-person or group domination rather than that specific rule
personal fief
vsfiefdom
  • Literature
8.8

A part of a place or group that one person controls like their own property

is any area or group dominated by one person or group rather than private ownership
feudal lordship
vsfiefdom
9.9

The power and land a lord had in the Middle Ages

is a general domain controlled by one person or group beyond medieval rule
feoff
vsfiefdom
  • Archaic
9.9

A piece of land a lord gives to someone for their service

is broader, applying to areas or organizations dominated by one person or group
dominium
vsfiefdom
  • Archaic
9.9

A land area controlled by a ruler or state

is more focused on domination by one person or group rather than state rule

Idioms

To create a separate area of power for oneself inside an organization

How Powerful

empire
226 3.5
kingdom
276 2.0
territory
960 3.0
domain
41 5.6
fiefdom
9 9.6
area
1.0

Surface Forms

fiefdom singular
fiefdoms plural

Morphology

fiefdom = fief (transparent) = fief + dom

Formed by the productive suffix '-dom' added to 'fief' to denote a domain or state, and its generalization to any controlled domain is a regular extension.

Etymology

Fiefdom comes from fief, which was 'land given by a lord in return for service', and the ending -dom, the same as in kingdom, meaning 'area ruled by'. So a fiefdom was once a piece of land controlled by one person, and today it means any area or organization run like someone's private little kingdom.