Where does “șervețel” come from?

șervețel (Romanian) comes from Romanian șervet, from French serviette, from French servir, from German servieren, from Italian servire, from Spanish servir, from Latin serviō, from Latin servus — to flow; to guard; to bind, to tie together.

șervețel (Romanian): napkin; tissue

Definitions

  1. napkin; tissue

Ancestry of “șervețel”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Romanianșervetnapkin
2Frenchserviettetowel; napkin; briefcase
3Frenchservirto serve; to be used for; to be useful for...
4Germanservierento serve (food); to wait (at table)
5Italianservireto serve; to need; to plate
6Spanishservirto serve; to be of use, to be good for; to help...
7Latinserviōto be a slave to; to serve
8Latinservusa servant; a serf; a slave
9Proto-Italicserwosguardian
10Proto-Indo-Europeanser-wo-sguardian
11Proto-Indo-Europeanser-to flow; to guard; to bind, to tie together
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ser-Every word from Proto-Indo-European ser-wo-sEvery word from Proto-Italic serwos