SERVILENESS Meaning and
Definition
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Servileness is a noun that refers to the state or quality of being servile. Derived from the adjective "servile," servileness pertains to the character or behavior of a person who is excessively submissive, obsequious, or subservient to others. This term often carries a negative connotation, suggesting an individual who lacks self-respect, autonomy, or the ability to assert their own opinions and desires. Servileness is typically associated with a sense of dependency and a willingness to subordinate oneself to please someone in a position of authority or power.
A person exhibiting servileness may display a consistent habit of unquestioning obedience, to the point of ingratiating themselves to others. They might display excessive flattery, engage in constant pandering, and demonstrate a reluctance to assert themselves as equal contributors or to challenge the status quo. Consequently, servileness often involves an imbalance of power dynamics, as the individual may be taken advantage of or exploited by those in positions of authority.
This concept can also be applied to institutions or systems that promote subservience or perpetuate inequalities, encouraging individuals to adopt servile behavior in order to navigate or succeed within such environments.
Overall, servileness represents a negative aspect of human behavior that limits personal agency, self-expression, and independent thought, instead prioritizing the desires and expectations of others.
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The condition of a slave or bondman; mean submission; slavish deference.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
Common Misspellings for SERVILENESS
- aervileness
- zervileness
- xervileness
- dervileness
- eervileness
- wervileness
- swrvileness
- ssrvileness
- sdrvileness
- srrvileness
- s4rvileness
- s3rvileness
- seevileness
- sedvileness
- sefvileness
- setvileness
- se5vileness
- se4vileness
- sercileness
- serbileness
Etymology of SERVILENESS
The word "servileness" is derived from the noun "servile", which originates from the Latin word "servilis". In Latin, "servilis" means "of a slave" or "slavish". The term later made its way into Old French as "servile", retaining its meaning of subservient or characteristic of a slave. Eventually, it entered Middle English as "servile". From "servile", the suffix "-ness" was added to form the noun "servileness", which refers to the quality or state of being servile or overly submissive.
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