Make Your Point > Archived Issues > OBSEQUIOUS

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pronounce OBSEQUIOUS: Say it "ub SEE kwee us." To hear it, click here. connect this word to others: Our word obsequious belongs to a huge family of words that come from the Latin sequi, meaning "to follow." I bet you could think of quite a few terms from that family, like segue, sequel, sequence, consequence, and consecutive. With all those, it's pretty easy to tell that we're dealing with a member of the sequi family. But the family also includes less recognizable members, like suitor (literally a "follower"), prosecute (to "follow forward"), persecute (to "follow through"), and execute (to "follow out"). Here's one more! See if you can recall it:  Latin for "it does not follow," a ____sequi___ is a response, an inference, or a conclusion that doesn't make sense in relation to what came before it. (To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.) make your point with... "OBSEQUIOUS" This word comes straight from a Latin one meaning the same thing: "compliant, or obedient," or more literally, "following after." Obsequious people and things have or show a habit of following orders in a way that's slave-like, servant-like, or too eager. Part of speech: Adjective: "his obsequious tone," "that look on her face is so obsequious." Other forms worth knowing: The adverb is "obsequiously." For the noun, the most common choice is "obsequiousness." But you can also pick "obsequity," "obsequience," "obsequiosity," or even "obsequy," which in the plural ("obsequies") means "things people do or say that show a servant-like eagerness to follow orders." How to use it:  This formal, serious, harshly negative word calls to mind the image of a servant following after his master, step by step, from room to room. It's an image that's much easier to stomach than those suggested by similar words, like "boot-licking" and "brown-nosing." Talk about obsequious people and the obsequious things they do and say: "this obsequious hostess," "his obsequious service," "their obsequious attentions." Or, talk about obsequious tones, manners, attitudes, facial expressions, body language, descriptions, biographies, etc. examples: "During her own wedding, Kneissl kneeled in front of the Russian president—for many a symbol of Austria’s obsequious relationship with the Kremlin."    — Franz-Stefan Gady, Slate, 21 May 2019 "1. Join the Drama Club   2. Do Your Research   3. Provide Something She Needs ...   7. Be More Attractive   8. Be Complimentary, But Not Obsequious."    — T. M. Franklin, How to Get Ainsley Bishop to Fall in Love with You , 2014 has this page helped you understand "obsequious"? Awesome, I'm glad it helped! Thanks for letting me know! If you have any questions about this word, please message me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. study it: Explain the meaning of "obsequious" without saying "toadying" or "kowtowing." try it out: Etymologically speaking, the phrase "obsequious follower" is redundant, since the roots inside "obsequious" literally mean "following after." But practically speaking, the phrase "obsequious follower" is helpful and descriptive. Followers today might be obsequious, or they might not be. Focus on a famous person who interests you: maybe a musician, a YouTube star, or a politician. This person probably has some obsequious followers. Talk about the kinds of things these irritating people do and say. If you like, use this space to write. (To save your work, copy and paste it into an email or a document.) before you review, play: Spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—let your working memory empty out first. Rhyming Puzzles! I give you a description of something, and you name it in a rhyming phrase. For example, if I say, "This is an ideal environment for a large tree-dwelling lizard--one in which this creature is perfectly happy and peaceful," then you say, "That's iguana nirvana." The answers will get longer and sillier as the month goes on. If you'd like to see the clue, click or mouse-over the link. I'll share each answer the following day. Enjoy! From the previous issue: You're watching a dancer. She's tall, thin, and graceful as she moves in a quick, clever, skillful way. Something about this skill of movement as she skitters across the dance floor reminds you of a rodent. No, not a rodent: something cuter and warmer. A fox. No, not a fox: something smaller and sleeker. A skunk? An otter? A badger? Closer. Aha! You realize what animal she reminds you of, because she dances with _______ ________. (Two words. The first word has three syllables. The second word has four syllables. Clue: use this word.) Answer: ferrety dexterity. Try this one today: At the customer service counter at a department store, you witness a family get into a shouting match with the staff. The issue at hand: the family had been making payments on a large purchase, waiting to take it home, but after they were late on a payment, the staff sold the item to someone else and refused to issue the family a refund. It's a knock-down, drag-out fight over what should have been a simple interest-free payment plan. It's a _______ _____. (Two words. The first word has three syllables. The second word has two syllables. Clue: use this word.) review this word: 1. Some near opposites of OBSEQUIOUS include A. PICKY and CAPTIOUS. B. HUMBLE and DEFERENTIAL. C. DISOBEDIENT and RECALCITRANT. 2. Inherent in the word "obsequious" is the idea of _____, which explains why one meaning of the related word "obsequies" is "funeral rites." A. mourning B. dutiful service C. elaborate ceremony 1. C 2. B a final word: I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. From my blog:    36 ways to study words.    Why we forget words, & how to remember them.    How to use sophisticated words without being awkward. To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. Disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.