SERVILE Definition & Meaning

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servile

[sur-vil, -vahyl]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

adjective

slavishly submissive or obsequious; fawning.
servile flatterers.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
characteristic of, proper to, or customary for slaves; abject.
servile obedience.
Synonyms: , ,
Antonyms: , ,
yielding slavishly; truckling (usually followed byto ).
extremely imitative, especially in the arts; lacking in originality.
being in slavery; oppressed.
of, relating to, or involving slaves or servants.
of or relating to a condition of servitude or property ownership in which a person is held in slavery or partially enslaved.
medieval rebellions against servile laws.

servile

/ ˈsɜːvaɪl, sɜːˈvɪlɪtɪ /

adjective

obsequious or fawning in attitude or behaviour; submissive
of or suitable for a slave
existing in or relating to a state of slavery
submitting or obedient

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Other 51�Թ� Forms

servilely adverb
servility noun
servileness noun
nonservile adjective
nonservilely adverb
overservile adjective
overservilely adverb
pseudoservile adjective
pseudoservilely adverb
unservile adjective
unservilely adverb

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of servile¹

First recorded in 1400–50; Middle English servil(e), serville, from Latin ��ī�� “of a slave, slavish, servile,” equivalent to serv- (stem of servus “slave”) + -ī�� -ile; serf ( def. )

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of servile¹

C14: from Latin ��ī��, from servus slave

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Synonym Study

Servile, menial, obsequious, slavish characterize one who behaves like a slave or an inferior. Servile suggests cringing, fawning, and abject submission: servile responses to questions. Menial applies to that which is considered undesirable drudgery: the most menial tasks. Obsequious implies the ostentatious subordination of oneself to the wishes of another, either from fear or from hope of gain: an obsequious waiter. Slavish stresses the dependence and labori-ous toil of one who follows or obeys without question: slavish attentiveness to orders.

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

"As I passed someone," Evans told the BBC, "I heard someone say: 'Uncle Tom'" - a slur used to disparage a black person considered servile towards white people.

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Prometheus found himself chained to the side of a Scythian mountain for disobeying the gods, who believed their strength depended on keeping people in dumb and servile awe.

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Neither do the echoes from his servile party, especially the Republicans vying to be his running mate.

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With the meeting Thursday, Mr. Macron hoped to find some unity on bolstering support for Ukraine or, short of that, to expose opponents who in his view remain too weak-kneed or servile to Moscow.

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Unquestioned leaders and servile followers tell us why the German army marched into Russia without overcoats — the leader had decreed that the campaign would be victorious by autumn, and that was that.

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serviette servile work

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