obedience Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun the act of obeying; dutiful or submissive behavior with respect to another person
    obeisance.
  2. noun the trait of being willing to obey
  3. noun behavior intended to please your parents
    respect.
    • their children were never very strong on obedience
    • he went to law school out of respect for his father's wishes

WordNet

O*be"di*ence noun
Etymology
F. obédience, L. obedientia, oboedientia. See Obedient, and cf.Obeisance.
Definitions
  1. The act of obeying, or the state of being obedient; compliance with that which is required by authority; subjection to rightful restraint or control.
    Government must compel the obedience of individuals. Ames.
  2. Words or actions denoting submission to authority; dutifulness. Shak.
  3. (Eccl.) (a) A following; a body of adherents; as, the Roman Catholic obedience, or the whole body of persons who submit to the authority of the pope. (b) A cell (or offshoot of a larger monastery) governed by a prior. (c) One of the three monastic vows. Shipley. (d) The written precept of a superior in a religious order or congregation to a subject.

Webster 1913