Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

subservient

/səbsˈɝviənt/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.83 in modern English

Syllables: sub-servient
IPA: /səbsˈɝviənt/

16

Scrabble Score

11

Letters

4

Syllables

9

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Useful in an inferior capacity.

adj

Obsequiously submissive.

noun

A person who is subservient to another; a subordinate.

Example Sentences

"Sansa takes her place as ruler of the North, a free and independent land no longer subservient to anywhere else. And Arya does what she’s always done best: Make her own way, literally leaving everything she knows behind to see what’s over the next horizon."
"James Harrison, the tenant, was one of his subservients, chosen by him in consequence of his austere piety, and great influence with his sect […]"

Etymology

From Latin subserviens, present active of subservio (“to serve under”).

Word Breakdown

Root: *ser- (guard)

Inflected Forms

more subservient (comparative) most subservient (superlative) subservients (plural)

Derived Forms

subservience subserviency subserviently subservientness unsubservient

Frequently Paired Words

obedient subordinate

Synonyms

slavish submissive implemental instrumental

Questions

How do you pronounce subservient?: The recorded pronunciation is /səbsˈɝviənt/.
What does subservient mean?: Useful in an inferior capacity.
Where does subservient come from?: From Latin subserviens, present active of subservio (“to serve under”).

How to pronounce subservient

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “subservient”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/səbsˈɝviənt/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
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