What does submiss mean?
Submiss is an archaic English adjective meaning submissive, compliant, meek, or readily willing to yield to someone in authority. It describes a person, manner, or attitude characterized by unresisting obedience. The phrase “submiss to” was particularly common in older writing, while attributive uses such as “a submiss servant” also occurred. Today the word survives chiefly in dated or deliberately archaic literature, so modern usage normally favors “submissive.” Although the modern adjective may sound unusually gentle or even servile, its historical meaning was not necessarily pejorative; it could simply describe compliance expected in a religious, social, or political hierarchy. The word is also memorable as an older form of the familiar “submissive,” preserving a trace of the language of submission and obedience.
adjectiveArchaic: submissive, compliant, or readily yielding to authority. The word is now chiefly encountered in older literature.
- Submissive, compliant, or unresisting in the presence of authority or control.
"The young knight remained submiss before the king's envoy."
"The servant stood submiss and waited for his master's command."
"Her submiss attitude during the long negotiation surprised everyone present."
Once the ordinary word for meek compliance, “submiss” now survives mainly in the shadows of older English.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does submiss come from?
Submiss is an archaic English form of submissive. The modern form comes through Medieval Latin from Latin submitto, a compound of sub- meaning “under” and mittere meaning “to send,” with the sense of placing something under another person's authority. Its past participle was submissus, and related English words include submit, submission, and submissive. The development reflects the long history of the Latin idea of putting oneself under, surrendering, or submitting to a superior power.
Related word forms
How submiss is actually used
This is an archaic or literary form rather than standard modern English. Modern speakers should normally use “submissive” instead. In older usage, it was often followed by “to,” as in “submiss to authority.”
Easily confused with submiss
Submiss is an obsolete or archaic adjective, whereas submissive is the standard modern form used for someone willing to yield to authority or control.