fiefdom

• Nom désignant un domaine ou une terre contrôlée par un seigneur féodal, ou, au sens figuré, une organisation ou une sphère d'activité dominée par une personne ou un groupe influent.

A noun referring to a domain controlled by a feudal lord, or by extension, an organization or area dominated by a powerful person or group.

1. Feudal estateC1formal

   A territory or estate granted by a lord to a vassal in exchange for loyalty and service during the feudal period.

   Fief (domaine féodal)

   • The knight was granted a large fiefdom in the north.
   • The lord's fiefdom included several villages and forests.
   • Peasants worked the land within the fiefdom.

   Synonymesbeneficefeefeofffeudfief

2. Controlled organizationC1informal

   An organization, department, or area of activity that is dominated or controlled by a single person or group.

   organisation contrôlée

   • The manager ran the department as his personal fiefdom.
   • The company's IT division became a fiefdom of the chief technology officer.
   • The small town was treated like a political fiefdom by the mayor.

   Synonymesbailiwickdomainempirekingdompreserverealmterritory