slavish

American  

[sley-vish] / ˈsleɪ vɪʃ /

adjective

1. of or befitting a slave.

   slavish subjection.

2. being or resembling a slave; abjectly submissive.

   He was slavish in his obedience.

   Synonyms:

   sycophantic

   Antonyms:

   independent

3. base; mean; ignoble.

   slavish fears.

   Antonyms:

   exalted

4. deliberately imitative; lacking originality.

   a slavish reproduction.

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slavish British  

/ ˈsleɪvɪʃ /

adjective

1. of or befitting a slave

2. being or resembling a slave; servile

3. unoriginal; imitative

4. archaic ignoble

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Related Words

See servile.

Other Word Forms

• overslavish adjective
• overslavishly adverb
• overslavishness noun
• slavishly adverb
• slavishness noun

Etymology

Origin of slavish

First recorded in 1555–65; slave + -ish ¹

Example Sentences

She calls what she creates "poetic transformation" rather than "a slavish copy".

From BBC

Self-proclaimed experts usually attract trouble through hubris, though I’ve seen bank traders and hedge fund managers annihilate themselves with slavish beliefs in trading ranges.

From Barron's

Kay wants to punish Michael for his treatment of her, for his casual cruelty, for his slavish devotion to a monstrous profession.

From The Wall Street Journal

While I like the movies a lot, I don’t have a slavish devotion to them.

From Los Angeles Times

De Palma’s slavish emulation of Hitchcock runs through numerous films, and with notable specificity.

From Los Angeles Times