subservient
pronunciation
How to pronounce subservient in British English:
UK [səbˈsɜ:viənt]
How to pronounce subservient in American English:
US [səbˈsɜrviənt]
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- Adjective:
- compliant and obedient to authority
- abjectly submissive; characteristic of a slave or servant
Word Origin
- subservient (adj.)
- 1630s, "useful, serviceable," from Latin subservientem (nominative subserviens), present participle of subservire "assist, serve, come to the help of, lend support," from sub "under" (see sub-) + servire "serve" (see serve (v.)). The meaning "slavishly obedient" is first recorded 1794. Related: Subserviently.
Example
- 1. They depend on it.it keeps them subservient .
- 2. She became submissive and subservient .
- 3. It 's difficult to imagine another industry so thoroughly subservient to one player .
- 4. Despite the leadership transition in pyongyang , beijing 's objectives remain unchanged : to see an economically viable , subservient country on the northern half of the korean peninsula for the foreseeable future .
- 5. In many renaissance portraits , perspective is used to articulate a relationship of dominance : the wealthy merchant is shown against a window-view of his city , which seems subservient to his controlling gaze .