What does servile mean?
Word: Servile
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Servile means too eager to obey or please people in power, without thinking for yourself.
Synonyms: fawning, submissive
Antonyms: independent
How do you spell servile?
Syllables: ser - vile
Tricky part: The ending is -ile, said like isle. Students write servial, servyle or servil.
Watch out for: servial, servyle, servil
Memory tip: Servile is said with the long i of isle, and like isle it keeps a silent e after the l.
Servile in a sentence
Example 1: The servile courtier agreed with everything the king said, even when the king was wrong.
Example 2: Being polite to elders is good, but you do not need to be servile.
Example 3: In the story, the servile manager bowed every time the owner walked past.
Fun Fact
Servile comes from a Latin word for someone who worked for a master in a household. At first it simply described such work; the sense of being far too eager to please came later.
Practise the CREST Way
Spell Spies
Choose the incorrectly spelt word:
a) fertile
b) mobile
c) futile
d) survile
Show answer
d) survile. The first part is ser-, as in serve, not sur-.
Word Puzzle
Match the words with the correct options:
1. servile 2. fragile 3. hostile a. sturdy b. proud c. friendly
a) 1-c, 2-b, 3-a
b) 1-a, 2-c, 3-b
c) 1-b, 2-a, 3-c
d) 1-c, 2-a, 3-b
Show answer
c) 1-b, 2-a, 3-c. These three -ile words are matched with their opposites: servile and proud, fragile and sturdy, hostile and friendly.
Word Tally
You get 3 marks for every misspelt word you can spot in the list. How many marks can you score?
servile, versitile, docile, juvinile, reptile
a) 6
b) 12
c) 3
d) 9
Show answer
a) 6. Versatile needs an a after its t, and juvenile has an e after the v; two misspelt words earn 3 marks each.
Word Champ
Which of the following statements are true?
1. A servile person enjoys standing up to people in power. 2. A loyal friend stands by you in hard times. 3. A modest person boasts about every prize.
a) only 1
b) only 2 and 3
c) all three
d) only 2
Show answer
d) only 2. A servile person gives in to the powerful, and a modest person does not boast, so only statement 2 is true.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. What is the most servile thing to do?
a) asking a question when you are unsure
b) telling a friend kindly that she is wrong
c) sharing your tiffin with a new pupil
d) praising all the captain's ideas to be liked
Show answer
d) praising all the captain's ideas to be liked
2. Which sentence uses servile correctly?
a) The servile river flowed gently to the sea.
b) The servile weather kept us all indoors.
c) The servile clerk agreed with every word the officer said.
d) We ate a servile lunch of rice and dal.
Show answer
c) The servile clerk agreed with every word the officer said.
