Obeisance is a formal act of deep respect, typically shown by bowing or kneeling. In use, it describes ceremonial homage or deference to a person of authority or to sacred authority, and can also refer to the gesture itself. The term carries weight in historical, religious, and aristocratic contexts, often implying reverence and submission.
US: emphasize rhoticity in connected speech outside the word; UK/AU: reduce the first syllable slightly, keep non-rhoticity outside. Vowels: /oʊ/ vs /əʊ/; /beɪ/ is tense; /səns/ ends with a voiced-voiceless transition. IPA references: US /oʊˈbeɪ.səns/, UK/AU /əʊˈbeɪ.səns/.
"The courtier performed a gracious obeisance before the queen."
"In many cultures, an obeisance is a sign of deference during traditional ceremonies."
"The priest greeted the dignitary with a quiet obeisance as a mark of respect."
"She curtsied with a measured obeisance, acknowledging the host’s prominence."
Obeisance originates from the French obeissance, from Old French obeir/devoir to obey (obéissant), from Latin obedire meaning to obey. The noun form in English emerged in the late 14th century, initially used in feudal contexts to describe acts of submission to lords or royalty. By the 16th–17th centuries, the term broadened to include ceremonial gestures of respect before persons of authority or sacred figures. The spelling and pronunciation settled into O-bei-sance, with the long e sound in the first syllable and the -sance suffix akin to governance terms like “deference.” While historically central to court etiquette, modern usage retains its ceremonial overtones, often in formal writing or historical discussion. The word’s core meaning—submission, homage, reverence—persists across centuries, though social usage has shifted from explicit feudal obligation to more symbolic acts of respect in social, religious, and ceremonial settings.
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Words that rhyme with "Obeisance"
-me) sounds
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Pronounce as o-BEI-sance, with the primary stress on the second syllable. IPA: US oʊˈbeɪ.səns; UK/AU əʊˈbeɪ.səns. Start with a long diphthong on the first syllable then a tense /beɪ/ vowel, followed by a soft /səns/. The final /-sance/ ends with /səns/, not /sæns/. Mouth positions: lips relaxed to spread for the /oʊ/ or /əʊ/ onset; vowel height mid to high for /eɪ/; tongue high-front for /beɪ/; final /səns/ with a clear /s/ and schwa before the n-s and soft nasal.
Common errors: (1) misplacing primary stress as o-BEI-sance or o-bei- SANCE; (2) pronouncing the second syllable with a lax /eɪ/ or a short /æ/; (3) mispronouncing the final /-nance/ as /-nas/ or /-ents/. Correct by emphasizing the second syllable with a crisp /beɪ/ and ensuring the final /səns/ uses a clear /s/ and a schwa before the nasal. Practice with minimal pairs: /oʊˈbeɪ.səns/ vs /oʊˈbeɪ.sæns/ to lock in correct vowel quality and final consonant.
US: /oʊˈbeɪ.səns/, rhotic in other contexts but not within this word. UK/AU: /əʊˈbeɪ.səns/, typically non-rhotic; the first syllable reduces toward /əʊ/ or /ə/ in rapid speech. Vowel length and quality on the diphthong can vary: US tends toward a more pronounced /oʊ/; UK/AU lean to a mid /əʊ/ realization in careful speech. The final syllable remains /səns/ with a clear /s/; stress remains on the second syllable in all variants.,
The difficulty stems from the unique combination of a stressed second syllable with a long diphthong /beɪ/ and a final /səns/ cluster that includes a subtle schwa before the nasal. Non-native speakers may misplace the stress, mispronounce the diphthong as /eɪ/ or /ɛɪ/, or drop the final -s with an /æns/ ending. Focusing on the secondary-stressed vowels, maintaining the crisp /s/ before the -ance, and practicing the transition from /beɪ/ to /səns/ helps. IPA references: US oʊˈbeɪ.səns, UK/AU əʊˈbeɪ.səns.
In very careful or ceremonial speech, you keep the first syllable as /oʊ/ or /əʊ/. In casual, some speakers may reduce to a shorter on-glide, like /oʊ/ → /o/ or a lightly reduced /əˈbeɪ.səns/ with the emphasis still on the second syllable. However, standard, formal use maintains the full first-syllable diphthong; reductions risk obscuring formality. IPA remains US /oʊˈbeɪ.səns/ and UK/AU /əʊˈbeɪ.səns/.
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