Dictionary

obsequious en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /əbˈsiːkwi.əs/ (UK, US)
• (US) audio

Etymology

From Middle English obsequyous, from Latin obsequiōsus (“complaisant, obsequious”), from obsequium (“compliance”), from obsequor (“comply with, yield to”), from ob (“in the direction of, towards”) + sequor (“follow”) (cf. sequel).

Meanings

1. Excessively eager and attentive to please or to obey instructions; fawning, subservient, servile.
   • Personally I felt shy and uncomfortable at this obsequious adoration, and I read the same feeling in the faces of Lord John and Summerlee, but Challenger expanded like a flower in the sun. 1912, Arthur Conan Doyle, “‘Those Were the Real Conquests’”, in The Lost World […], London; New York, N.Y.: Hodder and Stoughton, →OCLC, page 259:
   • Translation falls especially short of this conceit which carries the whole flamboyance of the Spanish language. It was intended as an obsequious flattery of the Condesa, and was untrue. 1927, Thornton Wilder, The Bridge of San Luis Rey, page 20:
   • [S]he complained pettishly of the heat and the flies and at length of the walk, and reduced Robert to the antics of an obsequious dog. 1930, Norman Lindsay, Redheap, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, →OCLC, page 118:
2. (archaic) Obedient; compliant with someone else's orders or wishes.
   • Our ladies were situated as well as it was possible; they had good servants, splendid rooms, obsequious attendants, and had become habituated to the country, so that the loss of the Count was not any thing of moment beyond the pleasure of his society;[…] 1842, [anonymous collaborator of Letitia Elizabeth Landon], chapter XXXIV, in Lady Anne Granard; or, Keeping up Appearances. […], volume II, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 140:
3. (obsolete) Of or pertaining to obsequies, funereal.
   • […] the ſuruiuer bound / In filliall obligation for ſome tearme To doe obſequious ſorrowe […] c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke: […] (Second Quarto), London: […] I[ames] R[oberts] for N[icholas] L[ing] […], published 1604, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]:

Forms

Deriveds

obsequiously · obsequiate · obsequiousness · overobsequious · obsequiosity · obsequience · obsequity · unobsequious

Synonyms

sucky · servile · greasy · slimy · ingratiating · sycophantic · smarmy · groveling · fawning · obsequent · toward · truckling · hearsome · obedient · tall · fawning · buxom · ingratiating · morigerous · oily · self-abasing · toadyish · truckling · obsequious · asslicky · asskissing · compliant · unctuous · bowsome · slavish · schmoozy · toadying · obsequious · obedible · oleaginous · sycophantic · soapy

Translations (100)

de folgsam (obedient, compliant with someone else's orders) · nb sleskete (fawning, subservient) · mi whakapatipati (fawning, subservient) · nl volgzaam (obedient, compliant with someone else's orders) · pt submisso (fawning, subservient) · hi ख़ुशामदी (obedient, compliant with someone else's orders) · pt obsequioso (obedient, compliant with someone else's orders) · mk рабо́лепен (fawning, subservient) · nb servil (fawning, subservient) · vi vâng lời (obedient, compliant with someone else's orders) · sv underdånig (obedient, compliant with someone else's orders) · ro servil (fawning, subservient) · sh poslušnički (fawning, subservient) · hy քծնող (fawning, subservient) · es servil (obedient, compliant with someone else's orders) · io komplezachema (fawning, subservient) · ru подобостра́стный (fawning, subservient) · io respektemacha (fawning, subservient) · sv inställsam (obedient, compliant with someone else's orders) · nl onderworpen (fawning, subservient) · vi dễ bảo (obedient, compliant with someone else's orders) · de unterwürfig (fawning, subservient) · pl służalczy (fawning, subservient) · mk по́низен (fawning, subservient) · ru раболе́пный (fawning, subservient) · da servil (fawning, subservient) · la vernīlis (fawning, subservient) · pdt dommbleed (fawning, subservient) · pl służalczy (obedient, compliant with someone else's orders) · mk по́корен (obedient, compliant with someone else's orders) · es apatronado (obedient, compliant with someone else's orders) · da slesk (fawning, subservient) · hu alázatos (fawning, subservient) · sh poslušnički (obedient, compliant with someone else's orders) · da underdanig (obedient, compliant with someone else's orders) · la obsequiōsus (obedient, compliant with someone else's orders) · cs podlézavý (fawning, subservient) · hi ठकुरसुहात (obedient, compliant with someone else's orders) · de devot (fawning, subservient) · da krybende (fawning, subservient) · el γλύφτης (fawning, subservient) · ro obsecvios (fawning, subservient) · hi चापलूस (fawning, subservient) · vi khúm núm (fawning, subservient) · sh servilan (fawning, subservient) · bg послушен (obedient, compliant with someone else's orders) · hi चापलूस (obedient, compliant with someone else's orders) · es obsequioso (fawning, subservient) · fi mielistelevä (fawning, subservient) · es sumiso (fawning, subservient) · de kriecherisch (fawning, subservient) · de unterwürfig (obedient, compliant with someone else's orders) · hy հլու-հնազանդ (obedient, compliant with someone else's orders) · de hörig (fawning, subservient) · hu szolgalelkű (fawning, subservient) · fi nöyristelevä (fawning, subservient) · bg раболепен (fawning, subservient) · sh podložan (obedient, compliant with someone else's orders) · fr obéissant (obedient, compliant with someone else's orders) · es obsequioso (obedient, compliant with someone else's orders) · ga spleách (fawning, subservient) · fr obséquieux (obedient, compliant with someone else's orders) · de servil (fawning, subservient) · nl slaafs (fawning, subservient) · mk по́слушен (obedient, compliant with someone else's orders) · nl kruiperig (fawning, subservient) · sv krypande (fawning, subservient) · hu engedelmes (obedient, compliant with someone else's orders) · he צייתן (obedient, compliant with someone else's orders) · nb underdanig (obedient, compliant with someone else's orders) · fi liehakoiva (fawning, subservient) · sh servilan (obedient, compliant with someone else's orders) · fi kuuliainen (obedient, compliant with someone else's orders) · sv underdånig (fawning, subservient) · bg сервилен (fawning, subservient) · cmn 順從的 /顺从的 (obedient, compliant with someone else's orders) · pt obsequioso (fawning, subservient) · nb servil (obedient, compliant with someone else's orders) · hi ख़ुशामदी (fawning, subservient) · fr soumis (fawning, subservient) · de gehorsam (obedient, compliant with someone else's orders) · uk раболіпний (fawning, subservient) · uk сервільний (fawning, subservient) · cmn 點頭哈腰的 /点头哈腰的 (fawning, subservient) · vi xun xoe (fawning, subservient) · nb slesk (fawning, subservient) · ro obsecvios (obedient, compliant with someone else's orders) · ca obsequiós (fawning, subservient) · cmn 阿諛奉承的 /阿谀奉承的 (fawning, subservient) · nl onderdanig (obedient, compliant with someone else's orders) · mi patipati (obedient, compliant with someone else's orders) · fr obséquieux (fawning, subservient) · ru послу́шный (obedient, compliant with someone else's orders) · pl czołobitny (obedient, compliant with someone else's orders) · la obsequiōsus (fawning, subservient) · mk у́годлив (fawning, subservient) · hi ठकुरसुहात (fawning, subservient) · hy հլու (obedient, compliant with someone else's orders) · hy հնազանդ (obedient, compliant with someone else's orders) · nl gehoorzaam (obedient, compliant with someone else's orders)