servile en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- /ˈsɜː(ɹ)ˌvaɪl/ (UK)
- (Southern-England) audio
- /ˈsəɹˌvaɪl/ (US)
- /ˈsəɹ.vəl/ (US)
Etymology
From Middle English servyle, from Old French servil, servile, from Latin servīlis, from servus (“slave”). By surface analysis, serve + -ile.
Meanings
-
Excessively eager to please; obsequious.
British “subjects” (not citizens, note) are just that: gleefully servile to the monarchy’s institutionalised inequality...
2021, Ed Vulliamy, The Guardian:
-
Slavish or submissive.
servile flattery servile obedience
Even fortune rules no more, O servile land!
c. 1699 – 1703, Alexander Pope, “The First Book of Statius His Thebais”, in The Works of Mr. Alexander Pope, volume I, London: […] W[illiam] Bowyer, for Bernard Lintot, […], published 1717, →OCLC:
- Slavish or submissive. ▸ Of or pertaining to slaves or slavery.
-
Not belonging to the original root.
a servile letter
- Not sounded, but serving to lengthen the preceding vowel, like the e in tune.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| most servile | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| more servile | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic |
Antonyms
arrogant · authoritarian · arrogant · bossy · arrogant · authoritarian
Deriveds
servilism · servileness · overservile · servilize · nonservile · unservile · servile arts · servilely · semiservile · servility
Hypernyms
Hyponyms
fawning · sycophantic · crawling · ingratiating · groveling · cringing · sniveling · cajoling · sneaking · parasitical · prostrate · crouching · coaxing · wheedling
Relateds
slave · serve · BDSM · sadomasochism · sycophant · servant
Synonyms
submissive · servile · subservient · slavish · abject · meek · abject · duteous · abject
Translations (51)
la humilis (slavish or submissive) · it servile (slavish or submissive) · cmn 低三下四 (slavish or submissive) · el δουλικός (slavish or submissive) · fi orjamainen (slavish or submissive) · it adulatore (slavish or submissive) · fi alamainen (slavish or submissive) · bg раболепен (slavish or submissive) · enm servyle (of or pertaining to a slave) · ru подобостра́стный (slavish or submissive) · sv servil (slavish or submissive) · la vernīlis (slavish or submissive) · ru ра́бский (of or pertaining to a slave) · fi orja- (of or pertaining to a slave) · pdt dommbleed (slavish or submissive) · pt servil (of or pertaining to a slave) · es servil (of or pertaining to a slave) · ru раболе́пный (slavish or submissive) · sv devot (slavish or submissive) · sv fjäskig (slavish or submissive) · sv underdånig (slavish or submissive) · it leccapiedi (slavish or submissive) · de sklavisch (slavish or submissive) · la obnoxius (slavish or submissive) · ja 卑屈な (slavish or submissive) · ota ذلیل (slavish or submissive) · sv slav- (of or pertaining to a slave) · de sklavisch (of or pertaining to a slave) · pl lokajski (slavish or submissive) · pl niewolniczy (slavish or submissive) · de servil (slavish or submissive) · ja 奴隷の (of or pertaining to a slave) · ro servil (of or pertaining to a slave) · pl uniżony (slavish or submissive) · bg робски (of or pertaining to a slave) · de unterwürfig (slavish or submissive) · fr servile (of or pertaining to a slave) · gl servil (slavish or submissive) · de hündisch (slavish or submissive) · ga uiríseal (slavish or submissive) · ga moghach (slavish or submissive) · bg сервилен (slavish or submissive) · enm serviable (slavish or submissive) · gl servil (of or pertaining to a slave) · es servil (slavish or submissive) · ru холо́пский (slavish or submissive) · enm servisable (slavish or submissive) · xcl ցած (slavish or submissive) · ro slugarnic (of or pertaining to a slave) · fi orjallinen (slavish or submissive) · pt servil (slavish or submissive)