servant

Where does the word "servant" come from? It comes from Latin servire, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).

Servant’s story begins in Latin: servire meant “to serve.” The root of 'serve', 'service' and 'sergeant'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as servant. Carried into French for one who serves another. It reached English by 1200s as servant. Settled as the English word for a person employed to perform duties for another. Today, servant means a person employed to perform domestic or personal duties for another.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient servire "to serve", the root of 'serve', 'service' and 'sergeant'.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval servant "one who serves another", carried into French for one who serves another.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1200s servant "a person employed to perform household or personal duties", settled as the English word for a person employed to perform duties for another.