enfeoff

verb

en·​feoff in-ˈfef How to pronounce enfeoff (audio) -ˈfēf How to pronounce enfeoff (audio)
en-
enfeoffed; enfeoffing; enfeoffs

transitive verb

: to invest with a fief or fee
enfeoffment
in-ˈfef-mənt How to pronounce enfeoff (audio)
-ˈfēf-
en-
noun

Word History

Etymology

Middle English enfeoffen, from Anglo-French enfeffer, enfeoffer, from en- + fé, fief fief

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of enfeoff was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near enfeoff

enfeebler

enfeoff

en fête

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Enfeoff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enfeoff. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

Copy Citation

Share

Legal Definition

enfeoff

transitive verb
en·​feoff en-ˈfef, -ˈfēf How to pronounce enfeoff (audio)
: to invest (a person) with a freehold estate by feoffment
Etymology

Anglo-French enfeoffer, from Old French en-, causative prefix + fief fief

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See All

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Plural and Possessive Names: A Guide

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See All

Popular in Wordplay

See All

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)

9 Superb Owl Words

15 Words That Used to Mean Something Different
See All

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
sweet smart pug puppy dog sitting in front of blackboard with chalk question marks
Commonly Confused Words Quiz Vol. 3 Do you have a (flare/flair) for choosing the righ...