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adj

subservient

Subservient (adj) means Excessively willing to obey or serve others, often to an unhealthy degree. Example: “He was criticized for being subservient to his boss's every whim.”

adj
1
Excessively willing to obey or serve others, often to an unhealthy degree.
"He was criticized for being subservient to his boss's every whim."
2
Serving a secondary or supporting purpose to something else.
"In this arrangement, personal interests are subservient to the group's goals."

How to use subservient

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishBeing overly obedient, or existing to support something more important.

Common pairings
subservient to blindly subservient

Word forms

more subservient comparative, subservients plural, most subservient superlative

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He was criticized for being _____ to his boss's every whim.

Etymology

From Latin subserviens, present participle of subservio, "to serve under."

Origin: Latin

Rhymes for subservient

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Frequently asked questions

What does “subservient” mean?

The word “subservient” means excessively willing to obey or serve others, often to an unhealthy degree. In plain terms, being overly obedient, or existing to support something more important.

How do you use “subservient” in a sentence?

Here is “subservient” used in a sentence: “He was criticized for being subservient to his boss's every whim.”

What part of speech is “subservient”?

“Subservient” is an adjective.

Where does the word “subservient” come from?

The word “subservient” comes from Latin. From Latin subserviens, present participle of subservio, "to serve under.".

How many meanings does “subservient” have?

“Subservient” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: excessively willing to obey or serve others, often to an unhealthy degree.

Definitions: FreeDict original editorial