Fiefdom

Origin

fief + -dom

Full definition of fiefdom

Noun

1. The estate controlled by a feudal lord; a fief.The duke's fiefdom had been greatly expanded as a reward for his dutiful military service on behalf of the king.
2. (by extension, mostly, pejorative) Any organization in the control of a dominant individual.Most of our company's computers are standardized, but the IT director allows the employees in his own little fiefdom to specify their own machines.
• 2012, April 23, Angelique Chrisafis , François Hollande on top but far right scores record result in French election, Hollande told cheering supporters in his rural fiefdom of Corrèze in south-west France that he was best-placed to lead France towards change, saying the vote marked a "rejection" of Sarkozy and a "sanction" against his five years in office.