Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

servile

/ˈsəɹ.vəl/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.45 in modern English

Syllables
servile
IPA
/ˈsəɹ.vəl/
10
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Excessively eager to please; obsequious.

adj

Slavish or submissive.

adj

Slavish or submissive.

adj

Not belonging to the original root.

adj

Not sounded, but serving to lengthen the preceding vowel, like the e in tune.

noun

An element which forms no part of the original root.

noun

A slave; a menial.

Example Sentences

Etymology

From Middle English servyle, from Old French servil, servile, from Latin servīlis, from servus (“slave”). By surface analysis, serve + -ile.

Origin

Word Breakdown

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˈsəɹ.vəl/
  • British English: /ˈsɜː(ɹ)ˌvaɪl/

Inflected Forms

more servile (comparative) most servile (superlative) serviles (plural)

Derived Forms

nonservile overservile semiservile servilely servileness servilism servility servilize unservile

Phrases

servile arts

Frequently Paired Words

serve servant slave BDSM sadomasochism sycophant

Synonyms

abject duteous meek servile slavish submissive subservient

Antonyms

arrogant authoritarian bossy radical

Questions

How do you pronounce servile?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈsəɹ.vəl/.
What does servile mean?
Excessively eager to please; obsequious.
Where does servile come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce servile

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