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Christanford Posted 16 years ago
Vocabulary

Obsequious

Hi,

I saw this word in Pride and Prejudice.
Is it a word that you would expect a college student to know?
How often is it used in writing? Would you say it is almost non-existent in normal conversations?

Thanks in advance!
  

Top answer

Is it a word that you would expect a college student to know? -- If they didn't already know it then it's a word they should be learning. How often is it used in writing?

— Mr Wordy

  • Is it a word that you would expect a college student to know?
  • -- If they didn't already know it then it's a word they should be learning.
  • How often is it used in writing?
  • -- It's not common, but neither is it very rare.
  • search=obsequious&sitesearch-radio=guardian These are the search results from The Guardian , which is a fairly upmarket British national newspaper.
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6 Answers
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Is it a word that you would expect a college student to know? -- If they didn't already know it then it's a word they should be learning.

How often is it used in writing? -- It's not common, but neither is it very rare. As an example, look at
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ChristanfordIs it a word that you would expect a college student to know?
Yes.
ChristanfordHow often is it used in writing?
Fairly often.
ChristanfordWould you say it is almost non-existent in normal conversations?
It depends what you mean by "normal"! I have heard it used in conversatio
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Hi,

I wouldn't call it greatly unusual.



It's the kind of word where, if you want to convey that meaning, it's not terribly easy to think of another choice, or at least of another polite choice.



Clive
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Thanks.
How do "servile" and "fawning" compare with "obsequious"?
Is there any difference in meaning or usage?
Would the first two sound less polite than the last?

Thanks in advance
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ChristanfordHow do "servile" and "fawning" compare with "obsequious"?
Is there any difference in meaning or usage?
Would the first two sound less polite than the last?

"fawning" is very similar to "obsequious".

To me, "servile" tends to have more of a sense that someone is permanently in a low subservient and menial position (as a serva
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