subserve

verb

sub·​serve (ˌ)səb-ˈsərv 

subserved; subserving; subserves

transitive verb

1

: to promote the welfare or purposes of

2

: to serve as an instrument or means in carrying out

Examples of subserve in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

These auditory and reward network pathways likely subserve the mind’s ability to form predictions and expectations during music listening. —Grace Leslie, Scientific American, 18 Sep. 2021

Specific networks of neurons in the brain subserve the formation of human beliefs; neurodegenerative disorders disrupt these networks, leading to distorted beliefs that often have no basis in observable reality. —Serggio Lanata, Scientific American, 22 Feb. 2021

Word History

Etymology

Latin subservire to serve, be subservient, from sub- + servire to serve

First Known Use

1661, in the meaning defined at sense 1