A feudal society can be described as one where power is concentrated in the hands of a small ruling class who control the land and the majority of the population work as serfs or peasants. There are a number of synonyms that can be used to describe this type of society, including feudalism, fiefdom, manorial system, and seigneurial system. Feudalism is perhaps the most commonly used term, and refers specifically to the political and social organization of European societies in the Middle Ages. Fiefdom and manorial system are both related to feudalism and refer to similar social systems in other parts of the world, while seigneurial system specifically refers to the political and social hierarchy in medieval France.