Wordwyrt

serve

/ˈsɜːv/SURV
/ˈsɝv/SURV

Meaningto be a servant

Common meaning: to work for

Other meanings: to bring food

Journey through time

  1. Latinserviō; servus‘serve as a slave’
  2. Frenchservir
  3. Middle Englishseruensource
  4. Englishserve‘to work for’ · today

serv also in: servantserviceserviledeservereserve

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

  • UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
  • No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
  • US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
  • No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Latin serviō; servus ‘serve as a slave; a slave’.

Did you know: our wording, based on Lewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), entry serviō, p. 1682 · dictionary scan

Roots

Related words

conservedeservepreservereserveservantserviceservile

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