servant
[sur-vuh nt]
- a person employed by another, especially to perform domestic duties.
- a person in the service of another.
- a person employed by the government: a public servant.
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Origin of servant
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for servant
Contemporary Examples
Her agency had to take her out of the country that very evening after it was made clear that the servant had sworn to kill her.
She mistook him for a servant and fed him kindly; later, she found out that the man was a top advisor to a major general.
God shall enlarge Japheth, And he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; And Canaan shall be his servant.
Cursed be Canaan; A servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.
In the Netherlands, St. Nick has Zwarte Piet (Black Pete), a type of servant who hands out pranks as well as candy.
Historical Examples
If a servant complained of being abused, his master had no power to retain him.
PhilotheaLydia Maria Child
At length the servant returned, saying his master was now ready to see them.
PhilotheaLydia Maria Child
Such a servant of the country should be well paid by the country.
Harriet, The Moses of Her PeopleSarah H. Bradford
"Ask Mrs. Holroyd if she will have the kindness to come here for a minute," he said to the servant.
VivietteWilliam J. Locke
"But he said it was most important, sir," the servant went on.
Within the LawMarvin Dana
servant
- a person employed to work for another, esp one who performs household duties
- See public servant
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Word Origin
C13: via Old French, from servant serving, from servir to serve
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for servant
n.
c.1200, "personal or domestic attendant," from Old French servant "servant; foot-soldier," noun use of servant "serving, waiting," present participle of servir "to attend, wait upon" (see serve (v.)).
Meaning "professed lover, one devoted to the service of a lady" is from mid-14c. In North American colonies and U.S., the usual designation for "slave" 17c.-18c. (in 14c.-15c. and later in Biblical translations the word often was used to render Latin servus, Greek doulos "slave"). Public servant is attested from 1670s.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper