Where does “servus” come from?

servus (Latin) comes from Proto-Italic serwos, from Proto-Indo-European ser-wo-s, from Proto-Indo-European ser- — to flow; to guard; to bind, to tie together.

servus (Latin): a servant; a serf; a slave

Definitions

  1. a servant; a serf; a slave

Ancestry of “servus”, step by step

servus traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via Proto-Italic serwos

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Italicserwosguardian
2Proto-Indo-Europeanser-wo-sguardian
3Proto-Indo-Europeanser-to flow; to guard; to bind, to tie together

via Proto-Indo-European ser-wo-

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Indo-Europeanser-wo-guardian

via Proto-Indo-European sēr-

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Indo-Europeansēr-to flow

Words derived from “servus”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European ser- →