Subservience: meaning, definitions and examples

🤝

Add to dictionary

subservience

[ səbˈsɜːrviəns ]

^{Context #1}

in relationships

The quality of being subservient or submissive to someone else's authority or control.

Synonyms

compliance, obedience, servility, submissiveness

Examples of usage

He resented her subservience to her boss.
The company culture encouraged subservience rather than independence.

^{Context #2}

historical context

The state or condition of being subject to a higher power or authority.

Synonyms

dependency, dominion, servitude, subjection

Examples of usage

The subservience of the colonies to the British Empire was a central issue in the revolutionary movement.
The feudal system was characterized by the subservience of peasants to their lords.

Translations

Translations of the word "subservience" in other languages:

🇵🇹 subserviência

🇮🇳 आज्ञाकारिता

🇩🇪 Unterwürfigkeit

🇮🇩 ketundukan

🇺🇦 підлеглість

🇵🇱 uległość

🇯🇵 従属

🇫🇷 soumission

🇪🇸 subordinación

🇹🇷 itaat

🇰🇷 복종

🇸🇦 الخضوع

🇨🇿 podřízenost

🇸🇰 podriadenosť

🇨🇳 顺从

🇸🇮 pokornost

🇮🇸 undiroka

🇰🇿 бағыну

🇬🇪 დამორჩილება

🇦🇿 itaət

🇲🇽 subordinación

Word origin

The word 'subservience' originated from the Latin word 'subservientia', meaning 'subservient', which is derived from the verb 'subservire' (to serve under). The concept of subservience has been prevalent throughout history in various social, political, and hierarchical structures, reflecting power dynamics and relationships of authority.