serverile

Serverile is an English adjective meaning resembling or characterized by servitude, subservience, or obsequiousness. In modern usage it is uncommon and largely confined to historical, literary, or scholarly contexts. When encountered, it often serves to evoke a dated or formal tone rather than to describe everyday behavior.

Etymology and relatives: Serverile derives from Latin servilis, meaning “of a slave,” and travels through historical forms in Old and Middle French into English. The more common modern counterpart is servile. Because serverile is rare, it is typically treated as archaic or literary, with servile favored in contemporary writing.

Usage and note: Because it is infrequently used today, serverile can appear unfamiliar to many readers. In most contexts, writers prefer servile to express submissive or slavish behavior. When discussing historical attitudes or linguistic history, serverile may appear to convey a period-specific or archaising effect. Example usage in a historical tone: “The courtier’s serverile flattery secured him access to the king.” In current prose, one would normally substitute servile or a more precise phrase such as obsequious, subservient, or compliant.

See also: servile, servility, servanthood, obedience, slave. In computing and technology, terms like server, server-side, or client-server remain distinct concepts unrelated to the adjective’s historical sense.