service tree

The story

1. Latin · derived fromsorbus“service tree”
2. Vulgar Latin · derived from*sorbea
3. Old English · inherited fromsyrfe
4. Middle English · inherited fromserves
5. English todayservice tree

Properly, the tree that bears sorb fruit, from Middle English serves, plural of serve (“sorb apple, serviceberry”), from Old English syrfe, from Vulgar Latin *sorbea, from Latin sorbus (“service tree”). See sorb. Not related to service, though it influenced its spelling

Words from the same roots