servility

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   excessive eagerness to obey or please someone, shown through degrading submissiveness

   His servility toward powerful patrons contrasted with his contempt for everyone else.

Formed from servile + -ity. Servile comes through French from Latin servilis ('of a slave'), from servus ('slave, servant'). Its English meaning broadened from the social condition of servitude to conduct seen as cringingly submissive or excessively eager to please.

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