Word of the Day:

February 2, 2022

obsequious

adjective ub-SEE-kwee-us

What it Means

Obsequious means "marked by or showing a fawning attentiveness"—in other words, "too eager to help or obey someone important."

// The director's crew included an entourage of obsequious film interns.

See the entry

Obsequious in Context

"The service here is as traditional as the decor, with the obsequious staff as cheery as they are attentive." — Anooska Tucker-Evans, The Courier Mail (Australia), 4 Dec. 2021

More example sentences

Did You Know?

According to the origin of the word, an obsequious person is more likely to be a follower than a leader. The word comes from Latin sequi, meaning "to follow"; the prefix ob- means "toward."

Quiz

Fill in the blanks to complete an adjective meaning "showing great care, attention, and effort": a _ _ id _ _ _ s.

View the Answer