Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1300-1400
Language: Old French
Origin: ligeance, from lige 'person you owe loyal service to', from Late Latin laetus 'serf'

allegiance

 noun
     
al‧le‧giance [uncountable and countable]
loyalty to a leader, country, belief etc
allegiance to
You owe allegiance (=have a duty to give allegiance) to your king.
swear/pledge allegiance
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.
an oath of allegiance
switch/transfer allegiance (=start to support a different person, group etc)
The people here have strong political allegiances.
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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