Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

obedience

/oʊˈbidiəns/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.50 in modern English

Syllables
obe-di-ence
IPA
/oʊˈbidiəns/
14
Scrabble Score
9
Letters
4
Syllables
7
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The quality of being obedient.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

The collective body of persons subject to any particular authority.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

A written instruction from the superior of an order to those under him.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

Any official position under an abbot's jurisdiction.

Countable; Uncountable

Example Sentences

Etymology

From Middle English obedience, from Anglo-Norman obedience, from Old French obedience (modern French obédience), from Latin oboedientia. Displaced native Old English hīersumnes (compare modern English hearsomeness). Cognate with obeisance.

Origin

Word Breakdown

  • Root: obedience, oboedientia

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /oʊˈbidiəns/
  • British English: /ə(ʊ)ˈbiːdɪəns/

Usage

Inflected Forms

obediences (plural) oboedience (alternative)

Derived Forms

misobedience nonobedience overobedience superobedience unobedience

Phrases

anticipatory obedience canonical obedience

Frequently Paired Words

obedient obeisance obey

Synonyms

submission hearsomeness respect obeisance

Antonyms

disobedience defiance rebellion violation control dominance

Rhymes With

disobedience expedience

Questions

How do you pronounce obedience?
The recorded pronunciation is /oʊˈbidiəns/.
What does obedience mean?
The quality of being obedient.
Where does obedience come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce obedience

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “obedience”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/oʊˈbidiəns/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “obedience”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “obedience” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.