Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1400-1500
Language: Latin
Origin: obsequiosus, from obsequium 'willingness to obey', from obsequi 'to do what people want', from sequi 'to follow'

obsequious

 adjective
     
ob‧se‧qui‧ous
very eager to please or agree with people who are powerful - used in order to show disapproval [= servile]:
an obsequious smile
—obsequiously adverb
—obsequiousness noun [uncountable]
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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