• obsequious •
Printable Version Pronunciation: ahb-see-kwee-ês • Hear it!
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Fawning, servile, sycophantic, devoted to fulfilling the wishes of another or others.
Notes: There must be an inordinate amount of obsequiousness in the English-speaking world for we have five ways of expressing it. If obsequiousness is too long for you, you may use the much shorter obsequy [ahb-sê-kwee], which can also mean "a funeral". If this noun is too short, then feel free to resort to obsequience or obsequity, though the latter is used more rarely than the previous three. Finally, we have obsequiosity, which exudes a hint of facetiousness. Today's Good Word is the adjective for all these nouns.
In Play: Almost any type of servile behavior qualifies as obsequy: "That obsequious Ben Dover comes in early every day and sits in the boss's chair before the boss himself arrives just to warm the seat for him." But nefarious motives are not always behind obsequience: "There is nothing like an obsequious little puppy to relax you after being barked at all day at work."
Word History: Did you ever wonder why obsequious people follow us around? Today we find out. This Good Word comes from Latin obsequiosus "obsequious, compliant" from obsequium "compliance", a noun based on the verb obsequi "to comply". This verb comprises the prefix ob- "to, against" + sequi "to follow". Sequi underlies the sequitur in the phrase non sequitur "illogical, not following", as well as many other words implying following such as sequence, consequential. The same root gave Latin its socius "sharing; associate, ally" which we enjoy in our words society and social. (Today's Good Word comes to us from a very social ally in the Alpha Agora, Gail Rallens. Drop by today and check out the latest word to catch her fancy.)
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