Where does “servaunt” come from?
servaunt (Middle English) comes 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, from Proto-Indo-European ser- — to flow; to guard; to bind, to tie together.
Ancestry of “servaunt”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old French | servant | present participle of servir; that serves; that... |
| 2 | Old French | servir | to serve |
| 3 | Latin | serviō | — |
| 4 | Latin | servus | a servant; a serf; a slave |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | serwos | guardian |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | ser-wo-s | guardian |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | ser- | to flow; to guard; to bind, to tie together |