sub ‧ ser ‧ vi ‧ ent /səbˈsɜːviənt $ -ˈsɜːr-/ BrE AmE adjective
[ Date: 1600-1700 ; Language: Latin ; Origin: present participle of subservire 'to serve, be subservient' , from servire 'to serve' ]
1 . always obeying another person and doing everything they want you to do – used when someone seems too weak and powerless
subservient to
Don remained entirely subservient to his father.
subservient role/position
His wife refused to accept a traditional subservient role.
2 . formal less important than something else SYN subordinate
subservient to
the rights of the individual are made subservient to the interests of the state
—subserviently adverb
—subservience noun [uncountable]