submissive

[suh b-mis-iv] /səbˈmɪs ɪv/
adjective
1.
inclined or ready to submit; unresistingly or humbly obedient:
submissive servants.
2.
marked by or indicating submission:
a submissive reply.
Origin
1580-90; submiss + -ive
Related forms
submissively, adverb
submissiveness, noun
nonsubmissive, adjective
nonsubmissively, adverb
nonsubmissiveness, noun
quasi-submissive, adjective
quasi-submissively, adverb
unsubmissive, adjective
unsubmissively, adverb
unsubmissiveness, noun
Synonyms
1. tractable, compliant, pliant, amenable. 2. passive, resigned, patient, docile, tame, subdued.
Antonyms
1. rebellious, disobedient.
Examples from the web for submissive
  • The older dog was adopted when he was full grown and had been abused, and he's submissive.
  • She broke into submissive tears and gave way at once.
  • The one whose periods change is she submissive or dominant.
  • Will the submissive become leader or dominant become leader.
  • The goal is to make her a submissive working elephant.
  • Hierarchical in all things, hyena etiquette usually requires the submissive animal to initiate the greeting.
  • Now, a dog's low self-esteem could be misinterpreted as calm-submissive energy, but it's not the same thing.
  • The key is changing the energies of both animals to calm-submissive.
  • Usually in response to that submissive behavior, the aggressor will reach out and gently pat or embrace or kiss.
  • She tends to act submissive initially around some people and barks when she is around others.
British Dictionary definitions for submissive

submissive

/səbˈmɪsɪv/
adjective
1.
of, tending towards, or indicating submission, humility, or servility
Derived Forms
submissively, adverb
submissiveness, noun
Word Origin and History for submissive
adj.

1580s, "inclined to submit," from Latin submiss-, past participle stem of submittere (see submission) + -ive. Masochistic sexual sense is attested by 1969. As a noun in this sense, by 1985. Related: Submissively; submissiveness.