ōˈbēdēən(t)s, əˈ- noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Old French, from Latin oboedientia, from oboedient-, oboediens (present participle of oboedire to obey) + -ia -y — more at obey
1. : the act or fact of obeying or the quality or state of being obedient : compliance with that which is required by authority : subjection to rightful restraint
2.
a. : jurisdiction , control , rule — now used chiefly of the spiritual authority of the Roman Catholic Church over its members
b. : a sphere of jurisdiction : an ecclesiastical or sometimes a secular dominion
3. dialect chiefly England : bow , curtsy
4.
[Medieval Latin obedientia, from Latin oboedientia obedience]
a. : an official position or specific assigned task or responsibility within a monastic establishment ; also : the part of such an establishment devoted to the activities of a particular function
b. : conformity to the rule of a monastic order and to the will of its superior
c. : a specific and usually written precept or injunction from a superior in a religious order to one of the congregation
hoping that his abbot will place him under obedience to use his singular talents — J.A.O'Brien
5. : a system of dog training designed to develop the intelligent response of the animal to the demands of his handler by means of a graded series of specific problem situations of increasing difficulty
goes big for obedience … running all five classes off in the first day — All-Pets Magazine