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

Right before the doors are locked and these red-robed servants of the Lord are about to get down to the nasty business of stabbing each other in the back — metaphorically speaking, although maybe not — two surprises are dropped into Lawrence’s lap. —David Fear, Rolling Stone, 25 Oct. 2024

Most of the enslaved people were field hands, but some were masons, house-hold servants and carpenters. —Curtis Varnell The Timepiece, arkansasonline.com, 13 Oct. 2024

Their wealth involves a whole galaxy of servants and hangers-on who might feel threatened by a big change in their patron’s status quo. —Christian Holub, EW.com, 20 Sep. 2024

Emmerich the necromancer spends his time in graveyards talking to the dead and being attended to by his skeletal servant Manfred. —Kazuma Hashimoto, Them, 28 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