servile
SUR-vuladjMeaning too willing to serve or obey others
Memory hook SERVE-ILE: SERVES far too much. Asked to pass the salt, Felix leaps up, polishes the shaker, bows and asks if he may also cut Ada’s food; that overeager serving is servile.
The servile assistant agreed with every idea, even the ones he knew were wrong.
In context The young prince wanted honest advisers, not servile ones; he grew tired of courtiers who said only what he wanted to hear.
Similar slavish, groveling, toadying, sycophantic
Opposite independent, proud, assertive
From Latin servilis, “like a servant,” from servus (servant).