English Meaning & Definitions
The quality of being excessively obedient, attentive, or servile to an annoying degree.
- “The courtier's obsequiousness toward the king was so transparent that it made the other nobles uncomfortable.”
- “She found his constant obsequiousness and fawning praise to be a sign of deep insecurity rather than genuine respect.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
English Antonyms & Opposites
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “obsequiousness”.
Derived from the Latin 'obsequium' (compliance, indulgence), which comes from 'obsequi' (to comply with, yield to). This is formed from 'ob-' (towards) and 'sequi' (to follow). Historically, it implied a readiness to follow or serve, but it evolved to carry a negative connotation of excessive, servile compliance.
Think of 'obsequious' as 'ob-seek-you-us': someone who is always seeking to please us in an annoying, fawning way.
Frequently Asked Questions About “obsequiousness”
1. What is the meaning of “obsequiousness” in English?
In English, obsequiousness (noun) is defined as: “The quality of being excessively obedient, attentive, or servile to an annoying degree.”.
2. How do you use “obsequiousness” in a sentence?
“The courtier's obsequiousness toward the king was so transparent that it made the other nobles uncomfortable.”
3. What are English synonyms of “obsequiousness”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “obsequiousness”?
Derived from the Latin 'obsequium' (compliance, indulgence), which comes from 'obsequi' (to comply with, yield to). This is formed from 'ob-' (towards) and 'sequi' (to follow). Historically, it implied a readiness to follow or serve, but it evolved to carry a negative connotation of excessive, servile compliance.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
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A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.
A specific duration of time equivalent to one hour and forty-six minutes.