salver

salver · noun¹

1. Old English · inherited from*sealfere“salver, one who anoints”
2. Middle English · inherited fromsalver
3. English todaysalver

From Middle English salver (attested only in the sense of "ointment box"), from Old English *sealfere (“salver, one who anoints”), equivalent to salve + -er. Cognate with Dutch zalver (“salver”), German Salber (“salver”).

salver · noun²

1. Proto-Indo-European*selp-
2. Proto-Indo-European*solp-éh₂
3. Proto-Germanic*salbō
4. Proto-Germanic*salbōną
5. Proto-West Germanic*salbōn
6. Old Englishsealfian
7. Middle Englishsalven
8. Englishsalve
9. English todaysalver

From salve (“to save”) + -er.

salver · noun³

1. Latin · derived fromsalvō“save”
2. Spanish · derived fromsalva“a testing of food or drink to test for poison”
3. Middle English · inherited fromsalver“serving platter”
4. English todaysalver

From Middle English salver (“serving platter”), from Spanish salva (“a testing of food or drink to test for poison”), from salvar (“to save, taste food for one's master”), from Latin salvō (“save”, verb). More at save.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from c. 1660 A tray used to display or serve food or other items (such as a visiting card).