servile

adjective

ser·​vile ˈsər-vəl How to pronounce servile (audio)
-ˌvī(-ə)l
1
: of or befitting a menial position
2
: meanly or cravenly submissive : abject
servilely
ˈsər-və(l)-lē How to pronounce servile (audio)
-ˌvī(-ə)l-lē
adverb
servileness
ˈsər-vəl-nəs How to pronounce servile (audio)
-ˌvī(-ə)l-
noun
servility noun

Did you know?

Latin served us servile with the help of servilis, itself from servus, the Latin word for "slave." Servus is also an ancestor of serve, service, and servitude. Synonyms of servile in English include subservient, slavish, and obsequious. Subservient implies the cringing manner of someone who is very conscious of having a subordinate position. Slavish suggests abject or debased servitude. Obsequious implies fawning or sycophantic compliance and exaggerated deference of manner. Servile suggests the fawning behavior of one in forced servitude.

Examples of servile in a Sentence

had always maintained a servile attitude around people with money
Recent Examples on the Web That this was news was hard to believe, since complaints about servile female voices had been made not for years but for decades. Jill Lepore, The New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2024 Some Hawaiian cultural experts say aloha is a complex and fluid idea, too often misconstrued as a sweet and servile way of tolerating visitors. Jenny Jarvie, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2023 Arriving at Egg Island sporting bohemian attire and a distinctly non-deferent attitude, Monk swiftly arouses the suspicions of Horton and his stuffy, servile housekeeper Mrs. McMurray (Kristine Nielsen). Guy Lodge, Variety, 16 Sep. 2023 The statue features a godlike Lincoln astride a kneeling, formerly enslaved man in a loincloth — his servile gratitude could not be more apparent. Peter Marks, Washington Post, 15 Sep. 2023 See all Example Sentences for servile 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'servile.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French servil, borrowed from Latin servīlis "of a slave, slavish, abject," from servus "slave" + -īlis "pertaining to or characteristic of (such persons)" — more at serve entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of servile was in the 15th century

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near servile

Cite this Entry

“Servile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/servile. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

servile

adjective
ser·​vile ˈsər-vəl How to pronounce servile (audio)
-ˌvīl
1
: of or appropriate to a menial position
2
: lacking spirit or independence : submissive
servilely
-və(l)-lē How to pronounce servile (audio)
-ˌvīl-lē
adverb
servility noun

More from Merriam-Webster on servile

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!