servile
adjective
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Latin served us servile with the help of servilis, itself from servus, the Latin word for "slave." Servus is also an ancestor of serve, service, and servitude. Synonyms of servile in English include subservient, slavish, and obsequious. Subservient implies the cringing manner of someone who is very conscious of having a subordinate position. Slavish suggests abject or debased servitude. Obsequious implies fawning or sycophantic compliance and exaggerated deference of manner. Servile suggests the fawning behavior of one in forced servitude.
Synonyms
- abject
- base
- humble
- menial
- slavish
Example Sentences
Peter Marks, Washington Post, 25 Aug. 2022 In Ukrainka’s play, Oksana’s husband is servile, obligingly performing Ukrainian songs and dances for the czar’s entertainment, while the artist in Zabuzhko’s novel is wracked by an inferiority complex familiar to citizens of dominated nations. Uilleam Blacker, The Atlantic, 10 Mar. 2022 Yet, as the technology gap with the West narrows, China's desire for self-reliance rises, and once-servile entrepreneurs have become increasingly outspoken in their critique of China's economic system. Sonja Opper For Cnn Business Perspectives, CNN, 8 Nov. 2021 If China’s leaders are as wise as its propagandists are servile, the Middle Kingdom’s future is secure. Walter Russell Mead, WSJ, 8 Nov. 2021 These conditions led them to become stereotyped as industrious and servile, which affected how employers treated them. NBC News, 4 Oct. 2021 For India’s mostly servile media, this is a striking break from the usual after seven years of Modi. Debasish Roy Chowdhury, Time, 3 May 2021 Julie Andrews played Cinderella—neat as a new pin and not remotely servile. Carol Dyhouse, Time, 19 Apr. 2021 As a result of this sort of culture, the stereotype of dancers as servile bodies that are better seen than heard unfortunately calcified long ago. Sydney Skybetter, Wired, 7 Feb. 2021 See More Word History
Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French servil, borrowed from Latin servīlis "of a slave, slavish, abject," from servus "slave" + -īlis "pertaining to or characteristic of (such persons)" — more at serve entry 1
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
servile
adjective
servile
adjective
Synonyms & Similar Words
- humble
- meek
- abject
- slavish
- menial
- base
- sheepish
- sycophantic
- hangdog
- fawning
- lamblike
- sycophant
- unassuming
- lowly
- retiring
- demure
- modest
- unpretentious
- toadyish
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- supercilious
- haughty
- arrogant
- imperious
- uppity
- superior
- lordly
- high-handed
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of servile are obsequious, slavish, and subservient. While all these words mean "showing or characterized by extreme compliance or abject obedience," servile suggests the mean or fawning behavior of a slave.
While in some cases nearly identical to servile, obsequious implies fawning or sycophantic compliance and exaggerated deference of manner.
The words slavish and servile can be used in similar contexts, but slavish suggests abject or debased servility.
In some situations, the words subservient and servile are roughly equivalent. However, subservient implies the cringing manner of one very conscious of a subordinate position.