obsequent

adj

"obsequent" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“obsequent” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as an adjective - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
9
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Obedient; submissive; obsequious.

Key facts for obsequent
PropertyValue
Headwordobsequent
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
Letters9
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “obsequent” sits in English frequency

obsequent falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for obsequent is 9 letters long, classified as an adjective. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

No misspelling variants are generated for obsequent in our index, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin obsequens, present participle of obsequi, from ob (see ob-) + sequi. See sequence. The correct English form is obsequent, spelled O-B-S-E-Q-U-E-N-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    Obedient; submissive; obsequious.
  2. 2
    Facing the opposite way of what would be expected, for example, a stream flowing towards higher elevation.

Etymology

From Latin obsequens, present participle of obsequi, from ob (see ob-) + sequi. See sequence.

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "obsequent"?
"obsequent" is spelled O-B-S-E-Q-U-E-N-T.
What does "obsequent" mean?
As an adjective, "obsequent" means: Obedient; submissive; obsequious.
What is the origin of the word "obsequent"?
From Latin obsequens, present participle of obsequi, from ob (see ob-) + sequi. See sequence. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “obsequent”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is O-B-S-E-Q-U-E-N-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list