allegiance
UK[əˈliːdʒəns]US[əˈliːdʒəns]
n
loyalty or commitment to a superior, government, group, or cause.
n
the obligation of a feudal vassal to his liege lord.
Morpheme Breakdown
al
leg
iance
al
to
leg
law
iance
noun suffix
Etymology
the word allegiance entered english in the late 14th century via anglo-french 'allegeaunce', which itself was an alteration of old french 'ligeance'. the core of the word lies in the latin root 'leg-', relating to law, from 'lex, legis'. the prefix 'al-' derives from latin 'ad-' (to), suggesting a movement or binding towards a legal framework. originally denoting the feudal duty of a vassal to a liege lord, the term's meaning broadened from a specific legal obligation to a more general sense of loyalty and fidelity, abstracting the concept from formal law to personal or political devotion.
Analysis
Structure: al (to) + leg (law) + iance (noun suffix)
al- (a prefix from latin 'ad-', meaning 'to, towards'); leg- (a root from latin 'lex, legis', meaning 'law'); -iance (a noun-forming suffix from latin '-antia', indicating a state or condition).
Examples
the soldiers swore allegiance to their new commander.
her allegiance to the environmental cause never wavered.
the oath of allegiance is a formal declaration of loyalty to the state.