obeisance

Etymology

Comes from Middle English obeisaunce (“obedience, obeisance”), from Old French obeïssance, which derived from obeïssant (“obedient”), the participle of obeïr (“to obey”), from Latin oboediō, obēdiō — made up of ob- (“to, for”) and audiō (“to hear”). Cognate with obedience.