What does seigneurie mean?
A seigneurie was a feudal estate or domain held by a lord, known as a seigneur, under obligations imposed by the feudal system. Such estates commonly included land, a manor or residence, and tenants whose labor and rents supported the lord's household and authority. The term can also refer more broadly to lordship or jurisdiction, although it is not interchangeable with every use of the modern word "lordship." In Canadian legal history, a seigneurie was a land grant made under French colonial authority to a seigneur, who was expected to encourage settlement and perform certain public duties in return for rents and other privileges. Although this form of tenure was abolished during the 19th century, seigneurial institutions and terminology remained influential in Quebec. Outside historical and legal contexts, seigneurie is uncommon, but it provides access to a central feature of medieval landholding and the distinctive development of French colonial law in Canada.
nounA feudal estate or domain held by a lord from a superior feudal authority. In Canadian legal history, the term also denotes land granted under the French seigneurial tenure system.
- A feudal estate or domain held by a lord.
- The status, jurisdiction, or authority of a lord over an estate and its tenants.
- In Canadian legal history, a tract of land granted under the seigneurial tenure system.
"The abbey received the seigneurie and its obligations toward the surrounding tenants."
"By acquiring the seigneurie, the lord became responsible for maintaining its roads and supporting its court."
"The seigneurial system remained part of Quebec law long after the seigneuries themselves had been abolished."
The plural is used when referring to multiple feudal estates or Canadian seigneurial landholdings.
"Several seigneuries were established along the river during the colonial period."
In medieval Europe, a seigneurie was a lord's estate; in French Canada, its old feudal obligations left a distinctive legal legacy.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does seigneurie come from?
The word entered English from Old French seignorie, meaning "lordship" or "the territory of a lord." It was derived from seigneur, "lord," which traces through Old French to Latin senior, a term for an older person or one holding a superior position. The English alternative spelling seigneury reflects the same French source and is especially common in legal and historical writing.
How seigneurie is actually used
The word is chiefly historical or legal rather than everyday. In Canada, it remains familiar in discussions of Quebec's seigneurial system and related landholding history.
Easily confused with seigneurie
Seigneury is a variant spelling of seigneurie rather than a separate meaning.
A seigneur is the lord who held a seigneurie; the seigneurie is the estate or domain under his authority.