subservient — prepared to obey others unquestioningly; submissive
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: prepared to obey others unquestioningly; submissive
Pronunciation (IPA): /səbˈsɜːrviənt/
Example Sentences
- The waiter was so subservient that he practically crawled on the floor to take our order.
- She refused to be subservient to anyone and stood up for her beliefs.
- His subservient nodding made him look like a bobblehead doll in the meeting.
subservient
ADJECTIVE[/səbˈsɜːrviənt/]
prepared to obey others unquestioningly; submissive
The subservient assistant bowed low, agreeing with every word his boss said.
SUB (under) + SERVI (serve) + ENT — by choosing to SERVI (serve) quietly SUB (under) the tyrant's shadow, the attendant lived a subservient life.
Trying to make things convenient and acting overly obedient, the clerk ultimately became completely subservient.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Latin subserviens, meaning 'serving under' or 'being subordinate to.' The word literally described servants who worked beneath their masters in the social hierarchy.
Breakdown
sub- (under/below) + serv- (to serve) + -ient (adjective suffix meaning 'doing/being')
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The waiter was so subservient that he practically crawled on the floor to take our order.”
“She refused to be subservient to anyone and stood up for her beliefs.”
“His subservient nodding made him look like a bobblehead doll in the meeting.”
“The company's subservient response to customer complaints improved their reputation.”
📚Related Words
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