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Sergeant

3 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means a non-commissioned military rank; a police rank above constable

Where does the word "sergeant" come from? It comes from Latin servientem, passing through Old French before entering English (1500s).

servientem→sergent→sergeant

Latin · ancient

from 'servire', to serve, the same root as 'servant'

Old French · medieval

"servant, officer"

a servant or retainer, later an officer who enforced a lord's orders

English · 1500s

"a non-commissioned officer"

fixed as a military rank in the 16th century

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Sergeant’s story begins in Latin: servientem meant “serving.” From 'servire', to serve, the same root as 'servant'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as sergent. A servant or retainer, later an officer who enforced a lord's orders. It reached English by 1500s as sergeant. Fixed as a military rank in the 16th century. Today, sergeant means a non-commissioned military rank; a police rank above constable.