noun
- People who own land or property outright, without owing rent or owing allegiance to a feudal lord.
Usage: Plural of freeholder.; Historically significant in medieval and early modern England.; In some contexts, refers to property owners with voting rights.
Examples
- In medieval England, freeholders had more rights than peasants bound to the land.
- The freeholders of the county gathered to discuss local governance.
- Unlike tenants, freeholders could sell or lease their property as they wished.
- Many freeholders were granted voting privileges in early parliamentary elections.
- The rise of freeholders contributed to the decline of feudalism.