acquiescent
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of acquiescent
First recorded in 1745–55, acquiescent is from the Latin word acquiēscent- (stem of acquiēscēns, present participle of acquiēscere ). See acquiesce, -ent
Explanation
The adjective acquiescent describes someone who willingly carries out the wishes of others. If you say "yes" to every request for help, you may have an acquiescent personality — or the word "no" just may not be in your vocabulary. Acquiescent comes from the Latin word acquiescere, which means to remain at rest or become quiet. The root quies is also the origin of the English word "quiet." Acquiescent people are sometimes thought of as quiet and mousy because they tend to do what you ask without protest. Try not to take advantage of these people by saying things like "Give me the last piece of cake," or "Do you mind walking my dog?"
Vocabulary lists containing acquiescent
Dog Vocabulary: A Canine Lexicon
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And Then There Were None
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The Haunting of Hill House
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
