servant

noun

ser·​vant ˈsər-vənt 

: one that serves others

a public servant

especially : one that performs duties about the person or home of a master or personal employer

servanthood

ˈsər-vənt-ˌhu̇d 

noun

servantless adjective

Synonyms

• daily [British]
• domestic
• flunky
• flunkey
• flunkie
• lackey
• menial
• retainer
• steward

Examples of servant in a Sentence

the wealthy family had servants to clean and cook for them

Recent Examples on the Web

Some of them treat them kind of like servants, some of them are very respectful, and some of them make friends. —Dalton Ross, EW.com, 11 Dec. 2024

Money will cease to be the master and become the servant of humanity. —Kevin Coldiron, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2024

The film follows two part-tribal sisters trained as servants by an English madame on a Himalayan colonial estate. —Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 23 Nov. 2024

Most of Carpenter’s apartment houses were constructed at a time when penthouse living had not yet caught on, and rooftop space was conventionally used for servants’ quarters. —David Netto, Curbed, 17 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English servant, sarvaunt "person serving a master or lord, retainer, attendant," borrowed from Anglo-French, noun derivative from past participle of servir "to be in attendance on, serve entry 1"

Note: Compare sergeant.

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing servant

• bond servant
• civil servant
• fellow servant
• indentured servant
• public servant

Kids Definition

servant

noun

ser·​vant ˈsər-vənt 

: one that serves others

especially : a person hired to perform household or personal services

Etymology

Middle English servant "servant," from early French servant (same meaning), from a form of servir "to serve," from Latin servire "to be a slave, serve," from servus "slave, servant" — related to serf

Legal Definition

servant

noun

ser·​vant

: a person who serves others: as

a

: an individual who performs duties about the person or home of a master or personal employer

b

: a person in the employ and subject to the direction or control of an individual or company see also respondeat superior compare agent, master