obeisance

noun

obei·​sance ō-ˈbē-sᵊn(t)s How to pronounce obeisance (audio)
ə-,
-ˈbā- How to pronounce obeisance (audio)
1
: a movement of the body made in token of respect or submission : bow
After making his obeisances he approached the altar.
2
: acknowledgment of another's superiority or importance : homage
makes obeisance to her mentors
The players paid obeisance to their coach.
obeisant
ō-ˈbē-sᵊnt How to pronounce obeisance (audio)
ə-
-ˈbā-
adjective
obeisantly adverb

Did you know?

When it first appeared in English in the 14th century, obeisance shared the same meaning as obedience. This makes sense given that obeisance can be traced back to the Anglo-French word obeir, a verb meaning “to obey” that is also an ancestor of English’s obey. The other senses of obeisance also date from the 14th century, but they have stood the test of time whereas the “obedience” sense is now obsolete... or is it? Recent evidence suggests that obeisance is starting to be used again as an (often disparaging) synonym of obedience; for example, a politician deemed too easily swayed by others may be said to have pledged obeisance to party leaders or malign influences.

Examples of obeisance in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web But positioning her as Ethan’s maybe-girlfriend — as if in obeisance to and at the same time defiance of some foundational rule of musical theater — undoes that work. Jesse Green, New York Times, 6 Feb. 2024 Even in social life, this does not require thanks, and in your office, doing so would seem to accept it as obeisance. Judith Martin, The Mercury News, 5 Feb. 2024 Maybe the Republican Party will drop this obeisance someday. Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 27 Nov. 2023 This was a mass act of corrupt obeisance to a serial liar — and now that same outfit is playing a leading role in winnowing the GOP primary field. Erik Wemple, Washington Post, 22 June 2023 Instead, Democrats led by Illinois Senate President Don Harmon and House Speaker Emanuel Chris Welch tossed it aside in rank obeisance to the teachers unions. The Editorial Board, WSJ, 26 May 2023 Last week, the CDC, competent in nothing but goose-step obeisance to big-city teachers’ unions, pushed another fake study on the utility of masks. Brian T. Allen, National Review, 17 Mar. 2022 This primary may end up an exercise in obeisance, but the general won’t be. Matthew Continetti, National Review, 13 May 2023 Suu Kyi remains a revered figure in Myanmar, but international backers were horrified by her obeisance to the military and her public accession to flagrant rights violations carried out by the generals, including the 2017 crackdown on Rohingya Muslims. David Pierson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Dec. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'obeisance.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English obeissance, obeysaunce "obedience, submission, gesture indicating submission," borrowed from Anglo-French obeissaunce, from obeisant "willing to obey" (from present participle of obeir "to submit to the authority of, obey") + -aunce -ance — more at obey

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of obeisance was in the 14th century

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Dictionary Entries Near obeisance

Cite this Entry

“Obeisance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/obeisance. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

obeisance

noun
: a movement of the body (as a bow) made as a sign of respect
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