obedience
oh-BEE-dee-uhnss
/əˈbiːdiəns/
Compliance with an order, request, or law or submission to another's authority.
In the dog world, it refers specifically to a dog's willingness and ability to follow human commands reliably.
The story behind the word. Comes from the Latin 'oboedientia', which is derived from 'ob-audire'. The prefix 'ob-' means 'toward', and 'audire' means 'to hear'. Thus, at its historical heart, to show obedience is simply 'to listen closely' to someone.
Word relationships
- compliance: 'Compliance' is often used in legal or corporate settings, while 'obedience' is used for personal, parental, or animal training relationships.
- submissiveness: 'Submissiveness' implies yielding to power out of fear or weakness, whereas 'obedience' is simply following instructions.
- disobedience: The direct refusal or failure to obey commands or rules.
- defiance: An active, bold resistance to authority.
Commonly confused with
- discipline: 'Discipline' is the system of training or punishment used to enforce order, while 'obedience' is the resulting behavior of the subject.
Word family
- obedient (adjective): Complying or willing to comply with orders or requests.
- obey (verb): To carry out a command or instruction.
- obediently (adverb): In a way that shows willingness to obey.
Collocations
- obedience training
- blind obedience
- obedience trial
- demand obedience
Example sentences
- "The puppy showed great progress in obedience school, mastering the commands to sit, stay, and heel." Enrolling a pet in a training class
- "True obedience is not a matter of blind submission, but of mutual understanding." A philosophical quote on training
Memory hook
To show obedience, you must use your ears ('audire' as in audio) to listen to the command. Listen closely to obey
When not to use
Do not use 'obedience' to describe a state of fear-induced submission; it is best used to describe cooperative compliance.
Fun facts
- Obience trials are competitive canine sports where dogs are judged on their ability to perform a highly structured set of exercises.
Related words
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