Etymology
1. c.1175, "to render habitual obedience to," from O.Fr.
servir "to serve," from L.
servire "to serve," originally "be a slave," related to
servus "slave," perhaps from an Etruscan word (cf. Etruscan proper names
Servi, Serve). Meaning "to attend to (a customer)" is first recorded 1362; that of "to set food on (a table)" is from c.1386. Sporting sense, in tennis, badminton, etc., first recorded 1585; the noun in this sense is from 1688. To
serve (someone) right "to treat as he deserves" is recorded from 1587. To
serve the time "shape one's views to what is in favor" is from 1560, translating L.
tempori servire;
time-server first recorded 1584.
2. From Middle English serven, from Old French servir, from Latin serviō (“be a slave; serve”), from Latin servus (“slave; servant”), which perhaps derives from Etruscan (compare Etruscan proper names 𐌔𐌄𐌓𐌅𐌉 (servi), 𐌔𐌄𐌓𐌅𐌄 (serve)), or from Proto-Indo-European *ser- (“watch over, protect”). See: Middle English '
serven', Old French '
servir', Latin '
serviō'.
Verbs referencing "serve"
Norwegian, nynorsk
serve, Ido servar, Finnish with old forms
servata, Hungarian
szervál, Norwegian, nynorsk
sørve.