obeisance
3 synonyms for obeisance, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A show of submissiveness, especially through a deep bow; such a bow itself.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
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.
Full origin of obeisance →