Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
Definition: Subservient |
SubservientAdjective1. Compliant and obedient to authority; "editors and journalists who express opinions in print that are opposed to the interests of the rich are dismissed and replaced by subservient ones"-G. B. Shaw. 2. Abjectly submissive; characteristic of a slave or servant; "slavish devotion to her job ruled her life"; "a slavish yes-man to the party bosses"- S.H.Adams; "she has become submissive and subservient". Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. |
Date "subservient" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1613. (references) |
Etymology: Subservient \Sub*serv"i*ent\, adjective. [Latin expression subserviens, -entis, p. pr. See Subserve.]. (Websters 1913) |
Synonyms: SubservientSynonyms: slavish (adj), submissive (adj). (additional references) |
| Context | Synonyms within Context (source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus). |
Aid | Adjective: aiding; Verb: auxiliary, adjuvant, helpful; coadjuvant; subservient, ministrant, ancillary, accessory, subsidiary. |
Instrumentality | Adjective: instrumental; useful; ministerial, subservient, mediatorial; intermediate, intervening; conducive. |
Tendency | Adjective: tending; Verb: conducive, working towards, in a fair way to, calculated to; liable; subservient; (instrumental); useful; subsidiary; (helping). |
Use | Useful; subservient; (instrumental). |
Utility | Adjective: useful; of use; Noun: serviceable, proficuous, good for; subservient; (instrumental).; conducive; (tending); subsidiary; (helping). |
| Source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus. | |
Crosswords: Subservient |
| English words defined with "subservient": Enfeoff ♦ Heeler ♦ man Friday ♦ subject, subjugate, Subminister, Subministrant, subservience, Subserviency, subservientness ♦ Underplot, Understrapping. (references) |
| Specialty definitions using "subservient": Quos Ego. (references) |
| Etymologies containing "subservient": Understrapping. (references) |
| Domain | Title |
Books | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| Author | Quotation |
Thomas B. Aldrich | Gracious to all, to none subservient, Without offense he spoke the word he meant. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | |
| Author | Date | Quotation |
John Locke | 1690 | The power of calling parliaments in England, as to precise time, place, and duration, is certainly a prerogative of the king, but still with this trust, that it shall be made use of for the good of the nation, as the exigencies of the times, and variety of occasions, shall require: for it being impossible to foresee which should always be the fittest place for them to assemble in, and what the best season; the choice of these was left with the executive power, as might be most subservient to the public good, and best suit the ends of parliaments. (Second Treatise of Government) |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| Subject | Topic | Quote |
Business | In July 1997, the Patent Act and Utility Model Act were amended to streamline the examination and appellate process and to boost monetary penalties for cases of patent infringement from 20 million won to 50 million won. U.S. Industry believes that deficiencies remain in the interpretation of claims and in the treatment of dominant and subservient patents. (references) | |
Civil Liberties | Vietnam | In February 2000, several leaders of the Hoa Hao community, including several pre-1975 leaders, openly criticized the official Hoa Hao organization (established in 1999) as subservient to the Government and demanded official recognition of their own leadership. (references) |
Economic History | Korea | Despite significant progress, U.S. industry still believes that deficiencies remain in the interpretation of claims and in the treatment of dominant and subservient patents. (references) |
Turkmenistan | Power is concentrated in the president; the judiciary is wholly subservient to the regime, with all judges appointed for 5-year terms by the president without legislative review. (references) | |
Human Rights | Morocco | At the Government's discretion, such cases may be brought before a specially constituted military tribunal, which is subservient to other branches of the Government, especially the military and the Ministry of Interior. (references) |
Political Economy | Vietnam | The judiciary remains subservient to the CPV and to external pressure and influence by the Government. (references) |
Sudan | Prison conditions remained harsh and life threatening; prolonged detention under emergency laws with little or no judicial review was a problem; and the judiciary continued to be subservient to the Government. (references) | |
Women | Libya | Moreover, a significant proportion of rural women still do not attend school and tend to instill in their children such traditional beliefs as women's subservient role in society. (references) |
Yugoslavia | Traditional patriarchal ideas of gender roles, especially in rural areas, hold that women should be subservient to the male members of their family, and subject women to discrimination in many homes. (references) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits. | ||
| Speaker | Term | Phrase(s) |
George Washington | 1789-1797 | At other times it makes the animosity of the nation subservient to projects of hostility, instigated by pride, ambition, and other sinister and pernicious motives. |
Andrew Jackson | 1829-1837 | To make this great question, which unhappily so much divides and excites the public mind, subservient to the short-sighted views of faction, must destroy all hope of settling it satisfactorily to the great body of the people and for the general interest. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| "Subservient" is generally used as an adjective (general or positive) -- approximately 94.19% of the time. "Subservient" is used about 86 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted) |
| Parts of Speech | Percent | Usage per 100 Million Words | Rank in English |
| Adjective (general or positive) | 94.19% | 81 | 36,835 |
| Noun (singular) | 5.81% | 5 | 157,705 |
| Total | 100.00% | 86 | N/A |
Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.
Expression using "subservient": subservient into. Additional references. | |
| Hypenated Usage | |
Ending with "subservient": independent-but-dying-to-be-subservient. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com. |
| Expression | Frequency per Day |
subservient | 5 |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| Language | Translations for "subservient"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Albanian | servil (bootlicker, crawler, creeping, fawning, obsequious, servile, sycophantic, toad-eater, toad-eating, toady), që i nënshtrohet, i dobishëm (beneficent, beneficial, effective, good, handy, helpful, instrumental, pay, profitable, salutary, serviceable, useful, wholesome). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Arabic | متذلل (abject, obsequious, servile, submissive), نافع (beneficial, serviceable, useful, valuable), تابع (adherent, attached, citizen, dependent, disciple, follow, follow up, follower, following, forward, function, get on, go ahead, keep an eye on, page, post, press, pursue, put up with, redirect, satellite, send on, sub, subject, subordinate, subsequent, subsidiary, tributary, under one's thumb, underlying, urge, vassal), خانع (servile). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bulgarian | съдействуващ (promotive), сервилен (compliant, sequacious, servile, slavish), раболепен (menial, obsequious, servile, supple), помощен (adjunct, adjuvant, ancillary, auxiliary, helping, pilot, pony, relief, servo-, subsidiary), подчинен (ancillary, dependant, dependent, inferior, sidekick, sub, sub-, subaltern, subject, subordinate, tributary, under, underling, vassal), подвластен (belonging to smb.'s realm, subordinate, vassal). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Czech | servilní (compliant, obsequious, servile), užiteèný (beneficial, good, handy, helpful, profitable, salutary, useful, valuable, worthwhile), prospìšný (beneficial, expedient, good, rewarding, salutary, serviceable). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Finnish | alamainen (humble, national, subject, submissive). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
French | subalterne (subaltern, subordinate), servile, utile, obséquieux, asservi. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
German | subaltern (obsequious, subordinate, unselfreliant), unterwürfig (abject, abjectly, cringing, humble, obeisant, obsequious, obsequiously, servile, servilely, submissive, submissively), untertan (subject, underling), untertänig (submissive), knechtisch (menial, servile, slavish, submissive). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Greek | εξυπηρετικόσ (handy, helpful, serviceable), δουλικόσ (abject, servile, slavish), δουλοπρεπήσ (compliant, cringer, obsequious, servile, slavish). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hebrew | מתרפס (bootlicker, cringer, fawning, groveller, menial, obsequious, servile, toady), כפוף (bent, bowed, bowing, crooked, flection, flexion, hunched up, inclined, reclinate, subject, subordinate, subordination). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hungarian | szolgalelkű (abject, creepy-crawly, obsequious), szolgai (courtly, menial, sequacious, servile, slavish, sneaky), megalázkodó (prostrate), hasznos (advantageous, be of service, beneficial, conducive, effective, expedient, helpful, instrumental, profitable, remunerative, salutary, serviceable, to stand in good stead, useful), használható (feasible, practicable, serviceable, usable, useful), függő (aerial, dependent, hanger, hanging, pendant, pendent, pending), elősegítő (conducive, promotional), behódoló, alárendelt (ancillary, attached, dependant, dependent, inferior, junior, minor, sub, subaltern, subordinate, subordinated, tributary, underling). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Indonesian | memperabdikan (make subservient). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Italian | sottomesso (obedient, pliable, subdued, subject, submissive), utile (advantageous, advantagious, convenient, expedient, gains, helpful, instrumental, interest, of use, profit, serviceable, suitable, useful, usefull, worthwhile). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Manx | shirveishagh (ancillary, attend, attendant, clergyman, officiator, predicant, servant, serve, server, serviceable, serving, Servite, vassal). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Pig Latin | ubservientsay subserviente (reptile, sneaky), subordinado (accessorial, ancillary, attendant, dependant, dependence, dependency, dependent, inferior, secondary, servitor, subaltern, subject, subordinate, subsidiary, under, valent), servil (fulsome, menial, obsequious, sequacious, servile, slavish, slimy, sneaking, toad-eating), que serve, útil (advantageous, available, conducive, convenient, good, helpful, profit, profitable, purposive, serviceable, useful). (various references) servil (cringer, menial, obsequious, obsequiously, officious, servile, servilely, slavish, slavishly, supple), util (available, helpful, profitable, serviceable, sound, useful, usefully), folositor (advantageous, beneficial, effective, expedient, gainful, helpful, instrumental, of use, profitable, purposeful, salutary, serviceable, sound, suitable, useful, wholesome), de folos (of avail). (various references) подчиненный (dependant, dependent, inferior, junior, offspring, parent-offspring, servient, subaltern, subdued, subject, subordinate, under). (various references) ulizički (adulatory, fawning, obsequious, smarmy, sycophantic, toad-eating, toady), pokoran (amenable, conformable, humble, malleable, manageable, meek, obedient, servile, submissive, tractable), podređen (subaltern, subordinate). (various references) subordinado (ancillary, dependant, dependent, subordinate, underling). (various references) underdånig (courtly, humble, obsequious), tjänlig (serviceable), servil (cringing, servile). (various references) yararlı (advantageous, beneficial, benign, benignant, efficacious, good, handy, healthful, healthy, helpful, of use, profitable, salubrious, salutary, sanative, sanatory, useful, wholesome), yaranmaya çalışan (adulatory), uşak ruhlu, itaat eden, hizmet eden. (various references) сприятливий (accessory, advantageous, auspicious, benefic, benign, bright, conducive, conducive to, congenial, contributory, favorable, favourable, fortunate, kindly, opportune, profitable, propitious, prosperous, white), раболіпний (ancillary, creepy, humble, obsequious, servile, slavish, sneaky), підлеглий (adjective, ancillary, dependant, dependent, inferior, junior, secondary, subaltern, subordinate, under). (various references) quỵ luỵ (basely, knee, menial, supply), giúp ích l m công cụ cho khúm núm, có ích (conducive, favorable, favourable, furthersome, serviceable, useful). (various references) iswasanaethgar. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Derivations | |
Words beginning with "subservient": subserviently. (additional references) | |
| |
"Subservient" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: subserviant, subserviens, sudservient. (additional references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |
| # of Phoneme Matches | Pronunciation | Word(s) rhyming with "subservient" (pronounced subser"vēunt) |
| 5 | -v ē u n t | deviant. |
| 4 | -ē u n t | affiant, ambient, defoliant, disobedient, expedient, incipient, ingredient, invariant, lenient, luxuriant, miscreant, nutrient, obedient, percipient, prescient, prurient, radiant, recipient, salient, variant. |
| 3 | -u n t | abandonment, abatement, aberrant, abhorrent, abortifacient, absent, absorbent, abstinent, abundant, accelerant, accident, accompaniment, accomplishment, accountant, accouterment, achievement, acknowledgement, acknowledgment, adamant, adherent, adjacent, adjournment, adjustment, adjutant, adolescent, adornment, advancement, advertisement, advisement, afferent, affluent, agent, aggrandizement, agreement, ailment, alignment, allotment, amazement, ambivalent, amendment, amusement, ancient, announcement, annulment, antecedent, antidepressant, antigovernment, antioxidant, apartment, apparent, appeasement, applicant, appointment, apportionment, ardent, argent, argument, armament, arraignment, arrangement, arrant, arrogant, ascendant, aspirant, assailant, assessment, assignment, assistant, assortment, astonishment, astringent, atonement, attachment, attainment, attendant, banishment, basement, battlement, belligerent, bemusement, beneficent, benevolent, bereavement, betterment, bewilderment, blandishment, blatant, bombardment, brilliant, buoyant, celebrant, claimant, clairvoyant, Clement, client, coefficient, cogent, cognizant, coherent, coincident, combatant, commandment, commencement, commitment, compartment, competent, complacent, complainant, complaisant, complement, compliant, component, comportment, concealment, concomitant, concurrent, condiment, confident, confinement, confluent, consequent, consignment, consistent, consonant, constant, constituent, consultant, containment, contaminant, contentment, contestant, continent, contingent, convalescent, convenient, convent, convergent, conversant, coolant, copayment, corespondent, cormorant, correspondent, Courant, covenant, Crescent, crosscurrent, current, curtailment, debarment, debasement, decadent, decedent, decent, declarant, decongestant, defendant, deferment, defiant, deficient, delinquent, deodorant, department, dependent, deployment, deportment, depressant, derailment, descendant, descendent, despondent, detachment, detergent, determent, determinant, deterrent, detriment, development, different, diligent, diminishment, disagreement, disappointment, disarmament, disbarment, disbursement, discernment, discordant, discouragement, disenchantment, disenfranchisement, disengagement, disestablishment, disgruntlement, disillusionment, disinfectant, disinvestment, dismantlement, dismemberment, dispersant, displacement, dissident, dissonant, distant, divalent, divergent, divestment, docent, dominant, dormant, easement, ebullient, efferent, effervescent, efficient, effluent, elegant, element, elephant, eloquent, embankment, embarrassment, embayment, embellishment, embezzlement, embodiment, emergent, emigrant, eminent, emplacement, employment, empowerment, enactment, encampment, enchantment, encirclement, encouragement, encroachment, endangerment, endearment, endorsement, endowment, enforcement, engagement, enhancement, enjoyment, enlargement, enlightenment, enlistment, enrichment, enrollment, enslavement, entanglement, entertainment, enticement, entitlement, entombment, entrant, entrapment, entrenchment, environment, equipment, equivalent, errant, escapement, escarpment, esculent, establishment, estrangement, evanescent, evident, excellent, excitement, excrement, exigent, existent, exorbitant, expectant, expectorant, experiment, exponent, extant, extinguishment, extravagant, exuberant, exultant, Fabricant, fervent, figment, filament, flagrant, flamboyant, flatulent, flippant, fluent, fluorescent, formant, fragment, fragrant, fraudulent, frequent, fulfillment, gallant, garment, garnishment, giant, government, grandiloquent, grandparent, harassment, hesitant, hydrant, ignorant, immanent, immigrant, imminent, impairment, impatient, impeachment, impediment, impertinent, implement, important, impotent, impoundment, impoverishment, impressment, imprisonment, improvement, imprudent, inadvertent, incandescent, incessant, incident, incitement, inclement, incoherent, incompetent, inconsistent, incontinent, inconvenient, increment, incumbent, indecent, independent, indictment, indifferent, indigent, indignant, indolent, inducement, indulgent, inefficient, infant, informant, infotainment, infrequent, infringement, inhabitant, inhalant, inherent, innocent, inpatient, insignificant, insistent, insolent, insolvent, installment, instant, instrument, insufficient, insurgent, integument, intelligent, intercurrent, interdependent, intermittent, internment, intersegment, intolerant, intransigent, investment, involvement, iridescent, irrelevant, irreverent, irritant, itinerant, jubilant, judgement, judgment, latent, leant, lieutenant, ligament, litigant, lubricant, lucent, luminescent, magnificent, malevolent, malignant, maltreatment, management, measurement, merchant, micromanagement, migrant, militant, misgovernment, misjudgment, mismanagement, misstatement, mistreatment, moment, monovalent, monument, mordant, movement, mutant, nascent, negligent, noncombatant, nonexistent, nongovernment, nonmanagement, nonpayment, nonresident, nonviolent, nourishment, observant, obsolescent, occupant, odorant, ointment, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, operant, opponent, opulent, ornament, orpiment, outpatient, outplacement, overconfident, overpayment, overstatement, oxidant, pageant, parchment, parent, parliament, participant, patent, patient, pavement, payment, peasant, penchant, pendant, penitent, pennant, permanent, persistent, pertinent, petulant, pheasant, pigment, piquant, placement, pleasant, pliant, poignant, pollutant, postponement, postretirement, potent, preadolescent, precedent, predicament, predominant, preeminent, pregnant, prejudgment, prepayment, present, presentment, prevalent, procurement, proficient, prominent, pronouncement, propellant, proponent, protestant, provident, prudent, pungent, punishment, pursuant, puzzlement, quadrant, quiescent, quotient, rampant, readjustment, reagent, realignment, reappointment, reapportionment, rearmament, rearrangement, reassessment, reassignment, recalcitrant, recent, recombinant, recruitment, recurrent, redeployment, redevelopment, redundant, reemployment, reenactment, refinement, refreshment, refrigerant, refurbishment, Regent, regiment, registrant, reimbursement, reinforcement, reinstatement, reinvestment, relevant, reliant, reluctant, reminiscent, remnant, repayment, repellent, repentant, replacement, replenishment, repugnant, requirement, resentment, resettlement, resident, resilient, resistant, resonant, resplendent, respondent, restatement, resultant, resurgent, retardant, reticent, retirement, retrenchment, reverent, rodent, rudiment, ruminant, sacrament, seafront, sealant, sediment, segment, semipermanent, sentiment, Sequent, sergeant, serpent, servant, settlement, shipment, significant, silent, solvent, somnolent, stagnant, statement, stimulant, strident, stringent, student, subcontinent, subsequent, succulent, sufficient, supergiant, superintendent, supplement, supplicant, suppressant, surfactant, talent, tangent, temperament, tenant, tenement, testament, tetravalent, tolerant, torrent, tournament, transcendent, transient, translucent, transparent, treatment, trenchant, trident, triumphant, truant, truculent, tumescent, turbulent, tyrant, undercurrent, underdevelopment, underemployment, undergarment, underpayment, understatement, unemployment, unimportant, unpleasant, unrepentant, urgent, vacant, vagrant, valiant, vehement, verdant, vibrant, vigilant, violent, virulent, warrant, wonderment. |
Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits. | ||
Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams | |
| Words within the letters "b-e-e-i-n-r-s-s-t-u-v" | |
-1 letter: subentries. | |
-2 letters: reinvests, sirventes, universes. | |
-3 letters: bustiers, enuresis, esurient, inbursts, inverses, nerviest, reinvest, retinues, reunites, revuists, sentries, sirvente, stuivers, suberins, suberise, subrents, subserve, subteens, subvenes, subverts, sureties, tribunes, trueness, turbines, universe, ventures, venturis, versines, vestries, vestures. | |
-4 letters: bestirs, betises, bisters, bistres, brevets, bruises, brunets, bunters, burnets, burnies, busiest, busters, bustier, butenes, ensures, entires, entries. | |
| Words containing the letters "b-e-e-i-n-r-s-s-t-u-v" | |
+2 letters: obtrusiveness, subserviently. | |
+3 letters: antisubversive. | |
+4 letters: antisubversives, obstructiveness, obtrusivenesses, unobtrusiveness. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. | |
| 1. Definition 2. Synonyms 3. Crosswords 4. Usage: Commercial | 5. Quotations: Familiar 6. Quotations: Historic 7. Quotations: Non-fiction 8. Quotations: Speeches | 9. Usage Frequency 10. Expressions 11. Expressions: Internet 12. Translations: Modern | 13. Derivations 14. Rhymes 15. Anagrams 16. Bibliography |
Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
