Where does “sergeant” come from?
sergeant (Middle English) comes from Old French sergeant, from Medieval Latin servientem, from Latin serviēns, from Latin serviō, from Latin servus, 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.
Ancestry of “sergeant”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old French | sergeant | — |
| 2 | Medieval Latin | servientem | a servant, vassal, soldier, apparitor; accusative... |
| 3 | Latin | serviēns | serving, (as a servant or slave) |
| 4 | Latin | serviō | to be a slave to; to serve |
| 5 | Latin | servus | a servant; a serf; a slave |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | serwos | guardian |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | ser-wo-s | guardian |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | ser- | to flow; to guard; to bind, to tie together |