• sequacious •
Printable Version Pronunciation: see-kway-shês • Hear it!
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: 1. Following, moving in a consistent, sequential direction or pattern, as a sequacious line of reasoning. 2. Conformist, following the thought and behavior of others.
Notes: Since using sequacity might lead to your being (mis)taken for a duck, you might prefer sequaciousness as a noun for this Good Word. We graciously suggest sequaciously for an adverb.
In Play: The first sense ot this Good Word is "following, sequential", especially in the sense of "logical", as: "I don't think Celia Fate has the cart before the horse at all. It strikes me as quite sequacious thinking to buy the Ferrari first and then find the man who can afford to keep the tank filled." Often, it is difficult to determine which of this word's meanings is intended: "M. T. Head never tires of the sequacious flattery of his underlings." One after another, conformist, or both?
Word History: This Good Word comes to us from Latin sequac- "following, pursuing" from sequi "to follow." The stem turns up in many English words, including sequence, sequel, pursue, not to mention second, which always follows first, well, sequaciously. Like many Indo-European roots, this one came with an [e] and [o] variant. The latter turns up in words like society and social. In Sanskrit we find it in sak- "to follow" and sakis "friend"—someone who follows you around?
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