subservient
[ suhb-sur-vee-uhnt ]
/ səbˈsɜr vi ənt /
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adjective
serving or acting in a subordinate capacity; subordinate.
excessively submissive; servile; obsequious: subservient persons;subservient conduct.
useful in promoting a purpose or end.
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Question 1 of 7
Let’s start with some etymology: What are the origins of the typographical word “bracket”?
First appeared around 1750, and is related to the French word “braguette” for the name of codpiece armor.
First appeared in 1610, based on the French word “baguette” for the long loaf of bread.
First appeared in 1555, and is related to the French word “raquette” for a netted bat.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT Origin of subservient
First recorded in 1625–35; from Latin subservient- (stem of subserviēns, present participle of subservīre “to serve as a subordinate”; see subserve), equivalent to sub- prefix meaning “under, below, beneath, etc.” + servi-, stem of servīre “to serve” + -ent noun and adjective suffix; see sub-, serve, -ent
OTHER WORDS FROM subservient
sub·ser·vi·ence [suhb-sur-vee-uhns], /səbˈsɜr vi əns/, sub·ser·vi·en·cy [suhb-sur-vee-uhn-see], /səbˈsɜr vi ən si/, nounsub·ser·vi·ent·ly, adverbun·sub·ser·vi·ent, adjectiveun·sub·ser·vi·ent·ly, adverbWords nearby subservient
subsere, subserous, subserous plexus, subserve, subservience, subservient, subset, subshell, subshrub, subside, subsidence
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for subservient
British Dictionary definitions for subservient
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, adverbsubservience or subserviency, nounWord Origin for subservient
C17: from Latin subserviēns complying with, from subservīre to subserve
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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