Where does “serviette” come from?
serviette (French) comes from French servir, from German servieren, from Italian servire, from Spanish 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.
serviette (French): towel; napkin; briefcase
Definitions
- towel; napkin; briefcase
Ancestry of “serviette”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | servir | to serve; to be used for; to be useful for... |
| 2 | German | servieren | to serve (food); to wait (at table) |
| 3 | Italian | servire | to serve; to need; to plate |
| 4 | Spanish | servir | to serve; to be of use, to be good for; to help... |
| 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 |