Here's how:
* Supple refers to something that is flexible, adaptable, and easily bent. It can describe physical objects (like leather) or qualities like a person's character or mind.
* Suppliant describes someone who is begging or pleading humbly for something. The word implies a yielding of pride and a bending of the will to someone else's power or authority.
While "supple" refers to a physical or metaphorical flexibility, "suppliant" emphasizes a submissive and dependent attitude. The connection lies in the shared idea of yielding or bending, whether physically or in terms of attitude and behavior.