Where does “handservant” come from?
handservant (English) comes from English servant, from Middle English servaunt, from Old French servant, from Old French servir, from Latin serviō, from Latin servus, from Proto-Italic serwos, from Proto-Indo-European ser-wo-s — to flow; to guard; to bind, to tie together.
handservant (English): An attendant who waits at hand
Definitions
- An attendant who waits at hand
Ancestry of “handservant”, step by step
handservant traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English servant
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | servant | One who is hired to perform regular household or... |
| 2 | Middle English | servaunt | A labourer or employee; one who works for another |
| 3 | Old French | servant | present participle of servir; that serves; that... |
| 4 | Old French | servir | to serve |
| 5 | Latin | serviō | to be a slave to; to serve |
| 6 | Latin | servus | a servant; a serf; a slave |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | serwos | guardian |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | ser-wo-s | guardian |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | ser- | to flow; to guard; to bind, to tie together |
via English Hand
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Hand | The part of the forelimb below the forearm or wrist in a human, and the corresponding part in many other animals |
| 2 | Middle English | hond | hand; Alternative form of hound |
| 3 | Old English | hand | A hand |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | handu | hand |
| 5 | Swedish | hand | A hand; A hand; the set of cards held by a player |
| 6 | Old Swedish | hand | A hand; A direction; A behalf |
| 7 | Old Norse | hǫnd | hand |
| 8 | Proto-Germanic | handuz | hand |