1. Land held in absolute ownership, free from feudal obligations or superior claims; allodial land.
Usage: archaic; historical; chiefly used in medieval European history and legal contexts

Examples

• In medieval times, allods were rare because most land was held as fiefs under a feudal lord.
• The distinction between allods and feudal holdings was crucial to understanding medieval property law.
• Some Germanic tribes recognized allods as property that could be freely inherited and sold.
• Unlike vassals who held fiefs, owners of allods owed no service or allegiance to a superior.
• Historians debate the extent to which true allods actually existed in feudal Europe.