servant

[sur-vuh nt]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR servant ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

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.

Origin of servant

1175–1225; Middle English < Old French, noun use of present participle of servir to serve; see -ant

Related formsserv·ant·less, adjectiveserv·ant·like, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for servant

Contemporary Examples of servant

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.
Afghanistan, We Hardly Knew You
Jonathan Foreman
December 8, 2014
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.
The Queen of the French Kitchen
Katie Baker
March 26, 2014
God shall enlarge Japheth,  And he shall dwell in the tents of Shem;  And Canaan shall be his servant.
The Story of Noah's Ark From the Bible’s Book of Genesis
The Daily Beast
March 24, 2014
Cursed be Canaan;  A servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.
The Story of Noah's Ark From the Bible’s Book of Genesis
The Daily Beast
March 24, 2014
In the Netherlands, St. Nick has Zwarte Piet (Black Pete), a type of servant who hands out pranks as well as candy.
8 Facts You Never Knew About Christmas
Brandy Zadrozny
December 24, 2013

Historical Examples of servant

If a servant complained of being abused, his master had no power to retain him.
Philothea
Lydia Maria Child
At length the servant returned, saying his master was now ready to see them.
Philothea
Lydia Maria Child
Such a servant of the country should be well paid by the country.
Harriet, The Moses of Her People
Sarah H. Bradford
"Ask Mrs. Holroyd if she will have the kindness to come here for a minute," he said to the servant.
Viviette
William J. Locke
"But he said it was most important, sir," the servant went on.
Within the Law
Marvin Dana

British Dictionary definitions for servant

servant

noun

a person employed to work for another, esp one who performs household duties

See public servant

Derived Formsservant-like, adjective

Word Origin for servant

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 Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for servant

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.