Yahoo Canada Web Search

Search results

1. Dictionary

   subservient

   /səbˈsəːvɪənt/

   adjective

   • 1. prepared to obey others unquestioningly: "she was subservient to her parents" Similar submissivedeferentialacquiescentcompliantaccommodatingobedientdutifulduteousbiddableyieldingmeekdocileductilepliantpassiveunassertivespiritlesssubduedhumbletimidmildlamblikeservileslavishgrovellingtrucklingself-effacingself-abasingdowntroddensnivellingcoweringcringinginformal:under someone's thumbarchaic:resistlessrare:longanimousOpposite domineeringindependent
   • ▪ less important; subordinate: "he expected her career to become subservient to his" Similar subordinatesecondarysubsidiaryperipheralmarginalancillaryauxiliarysupplementaryinferiorimmaterialless important thanof lesser importance thanlower thanOpposite superior
   • ▪ serving as a means to an end: "the whole narration is subservient to the moral plan of exemplifying twelve virtues in twelve knights" Similar ancillarysubordinatesecondarysupportiveinstrumentalcontributoryconducivehelpfulusefuladvantageousbeneficialvaluable

   Word Origin early 17th century: from Latin subservient- ‘subjecting to, complying with’, from the verb subservire (see subserve).

   Derivatives

   • 1. subserviently adverb

   Scrabble Points: 16

   • S

     1

   • U

     1

   • B

     3

   • S

     1

   • E

     1

   • R

     1

   • V

     4

   • I

     1

   • E

     1

   • N

     1

   • T

     1

   Powered by Oxford Dictionaries

   More definitions, origin and scrabble points