Etymology Dictionary

VASSAL,  a dependent.  (F.,—C.)   In Spenser, Daphnaida, 181.   Certainly in early use; the M.E. vassal, however, is extremely rare, though the derivative vasselage (vassalage) is in Chaucer, C. T. 3056, where it means 'good service' or prowess in arms; it has the same sense in Rob. of Brunne, tr. of Langtoft, p. 86, l. 21, and in Gower (as cited in Richardson).   [The word vassayl, cited by Richardson from Rob. of Glouc., means wassail.]—F vassal, 'a vassall, subject, tenant;' Cot.   (Cotgrave well explains the word.)   The orig. sense is 'servant;' and the word is of Celtic origin, Latinised (in Low Latin) as vassallus, in which form it is extremely common.   We also find the shorter form uassus or uasus, a servant; which occurs in the Lex Salica, ed. Hessels and Kern, coll. 55, 56.—Bret. gwaz, a servant, vassal; W. and Corn. gwas, a youth, servant.   Cf. Bret. gwaz, a man, a male.   β. The orig. sense was prob. 'a growing youth' (just as E. maid is connected with Goth. magus, a growing lad, and the Teut. base MAG, to have power).   Cf. Irish fas, growing, growth, increase, and E. wax, to grow; see Wax (1).   (On W. gw = Irish f = E. w, see Rhys.)   Der. vassal-age; also varlet, valet.