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Obsequiousness: meaning, definitions and examples

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obsequiousness

 

[ əbˈsiːkwiəsnəs ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

in social interactions

Obsequiousness refers to the quality of being excessively obedient or attentive to someone, often to the point of being insincere or overbearing. It is characterized by a servile or fawning demeanor towards a superior or authority figure.

Synonyms

fawning, servility, subservience, sycophancy

Examples of usage

  • He displayed obsequiousness towards his boss in the hope of getting a promotion.
  • The obsequiousness of the waiter made the customers uncomfortable.

Translations

Translations of the word "obsequiousness" in other languages:

🇵🇹 obsequiosidade

🇮🇳 चापलूसी

🇩🇪 Unterwürfigkeit

🇮🇩 kepatuhan

🇺🇦 улесливість

🇵🇱 służalczość

🇯🇵 媚び

🇫🇷 obséquiosité

🇪🇸 obsequiosidad

🇹🇷 itaatkârlık

🇰🇷 아첨

🇸🇦 التملق

🇨🇿 podlézavost

🇸🇰 podliezavosť

🇨🇳 谄媚

🇸🇮 podložnost

🇮🇸 undirlægjuháttur

🇰🇿 жағымпаздық

🇬🇪 მლიქვნელობა

🇦🇿 yaltanma

🇲🇽 obsequiosidad

Word origin

The word 'obsequiousness' has its origin in the Latin word 'obsequiosus,' which means compliant or obedient. It entered the English language in the late 16th century. Throughout history, obsequious behavior has been observed in various social contexts, where individuals seek to gain favor or advantage by ingratiating themselves with those in positions of power or authority.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #35,198, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.