tenant-in-chief

English

Noun

tenant-in-chief (plural tenants-in-chief)

1. (law, historical) A tenant holding title to their land directly from a lord paramount beholden to no-one; particularly, a lord holding title directly from the king, owing additional responsibilities such as personal military service.

Synonyms

• vassal-in-chief

Hyponyms

• grand serjeanty

Coordinate terms

• tenant paravail, mesne lord, lord paramount