subservient

[ suh b-sur-vee-uh nt ]
/ səbˈsɜr vi ənt /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR subservient ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

serving or acting in a subordinate capacity; subordinate.
servile; excessively submissive; obsequious: subservient persons; subservient conduct.
useful in promoting a purpose or end.

Origin of subservient

1625–35; < Latin subservient- (stem of subserviēns, present participle of subservīre to subserve), equivalent to sub- sub- + servi-, stem of servīre to serve + -ent -ent

OTHER WORDS FROM subservient

sub·ser·vi·ence, sub·ser·vi·en·cy, noun sub·ser·vi·ent·ly, adverb un·sub·ser·vi·ent, adjective un·sub·ser·vi·ent·ly, adverb

Words nearby subservient

subsequent, subsere, subserous, subserous plexus, subserve, subservient, subset, subshell, subshrub, subside, subsidence

Words related to subservience

deference, orderliness, conformity, reverence, acquiescence, shyness, duty, observance, submission, accordance, quietness, compliance, servility, agreement, tractability, willingness, meekness, respect, docility, manageability

Example sentences from the Web for subservience

British Dictionary definitions for subservience

subservient
/ (səbˈsɜːvɪənt) /

adjective

obsequious in behaviour or attitude
serving as a means to an end
a less common word for subordinate (def. 2)

Derived forms of subservient

subserviently, adverb subservience or subserviency, noun

Word Origin for subservient

C17: from Latin subserviēns complying with, from subservīre to subserve