Word a Day
subservient
What does subservient mean?
subservient (adjective): compliant and obedient to authority.
Definition: Princeton WordNet 3.1.
Where does subservient come from?
From Latin subserviens, present active of subservio (“to serve under”).
Etymology: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Test yourself: do you know “subservient”?
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What does “subservient” mean?
made by hand; manufactured manually
Not quite: that's what handmade means.
characterized by order and planning
Not quite: that's what systematic means.
compliant and obedient to authority
Right! That's what “subservient” means.
contrived by art rather than nature
Not quite: that's what artificial means.
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