Obedient
/oʊˈbiːdiənt/noun
Willing to comply with authority, rules, or instructions.
Did you know?Obedient comes from Latin *obediēns*, originally meaning “listening to” or “heeding,” from *audīre* “to hear,” so the ancient idea was that true submission starts in the ear.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₂ew-
“to perceive with the ear; to hear”
Latin
Latin
audīre
“to hear”
Latin
Latin
ob-audīre
“to listen to; heed; obey”
Late Latin
Latin
obediēns
“heeding, obedient”
Old French
Old French
obeissant
“obedient, compliant”
Middle English
English
obedient
“obedient, submissive”
Modern English
English
obedient
“willing to comply with authority or instructions”
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