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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

o·bei·sance

Audio Help [oh-bey-suh

ns, oh-bee-] Pronunciation Key

–noun

1.	a movement of the body expressing deep respect or deferential courtesy, as before a superior; a bow, curtsy, or other similar gesture.

2.	deference or homage: The nobles gave obeisance to the new king.

[Origin: 1325–75; ME obeisaunce < MF obeissance, deriv. of OF obeissant, prp. of obeir to obey; see -ance

]

—Related forms

o·bei·sant, adjective

o·bei·sant·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
obeisance

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

o·bei·sance Audio Help (ō-bā'səns, ō-bē'-) Pronunciation Key
n.

A gesture or movement of the body, such as a curtsy, that expresses deference or homage.
An attitude of deference or homage.

[Middle English obeisaunce, from Old French obeissance, from obeissant, present participle of obeir, to obey; see obey.]

o·bei'sant adj.

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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
obeisance

c.1374, "act or fact of obeying," from O.Fr. obeissance "obedience," from obeissant, prp. of obeir "obey," from L. oboedire (see obey). Sense in Eng. alt. late 14c. to "bending or prostration of the body as a gesture of submission or respect" by confusion with abaisance.

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

obeisance
noun
1.	bending the head or body or knee as a sign of reverence or submission or shame or greeting [syn: bow]
2.	the act of obeying; dutiful or submissive behavior with respect to another person [syn: obedience] [ant: disobedience]

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Obeisance

O*be"di*ence\, n. [F. ob['e]dience, L. obedientia, oboedientia. See Obedient, and cf.Obeisance.]

1. The act of obeying, or the state of being obedient; compliance with that which is required by authority; subjection to rightful restraint or control.

Government must compel the obedience of individuals. --Ames.

2. Words or actions denoting submission to authority; dutifulness. --Shak.

3. (Eccl.) (a) A following; a body of adherents; as, the Roman Catholic obedience, or the whole body of persons who submit to the authority of the pope. (b) A cell (or offshoot of a larger monastery) governed by a prior. (c) One of the three monastic vows. --Shipley. (d) The written precept of a superior in a religious order or congregation to a subject.

Canonical obedience. See under Canonical.

Passive obedience. See under Passive.

Dictionary.com Word of the Day Archive - Cite This Source - Share This

obeisance

obeisance was Word of the Day on September 17, 2000.

Dictionary.com Word of the Day

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