Word of the Day
August 20, 2021
Supplicant
A person who asks for something in a humble or earnest way; one who petitions authority from a position of subordination or submission.
From Latin 'supplicare' meaning 'to kneel down, beg humbly,' derived from 'sub-' (under) and 'plicare' (to fold). Related to 'supplicate' and 'supple.'
Usage Examples
- The founders envisioned elected officials as servants, not rulers who treat voters as supplicants.
- Citizens should never have to approach their own government as supplicants begging for permission.
- The arrangement of the hearing room, with legislators elevated above the audience, reinforced the supplicant dynamic.
From the Show
The concept of citizens as supplicants emerged during Rick Turnquist’s August 20th analysis of how Colorado legislators treat constituents at Capitol hearings, elevating themselves physically and procedurally above the people they ostensibly serve.