servant

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UK/ˈsɜːvənt/US/ˈsɝvənt/US[ˈsɝvn̩ʔ]

noun

One who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation. As opposed to a slave.

“There are three servants in the household, the butler and two maids.”

Similar
domesticretainerhandmaidhandmaiden
OriginMiddle English servaunt ← Old French servant →
CommonScrabble 10
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Meanings

nounservant (plural servants)

plural servants · alternative obsolete servaunt · alternative obsolete servand

  1. One who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation. As opposed to a slave.

    There are three servants in the household, the butler and two maids.

    2 more examples

    In the great houses, servants out of livery help to the different plats, servants in livery holding the dishes, sauces, etc., and changing the plates.

    1837, James Fenimore Cooper, Gleanings in Europe: England

    As a political system democracy seems to me extraordinarily foolish, but I would not go out of my way to protest against it. My servant is, so far as I am concerned, welcome to as many votes as he can get. I would very gladly make mine over to him if I could.

    1915, G[eorge] A. Birmingham [pseudonym; James Owen Hannay], chapter I, in Gossamer, New York, N.Y.: George H. Doran Company, →OCLC

    Synonyms: domestic

  2. One who serves another, providing help in some manner.

    She is quite the humble servant, the poor in this city owe much to her but she expects nothing.

  3. lifestyleA person who dedicates themselves to God.
  4. obsoleteA professed lover.
  5. A person of low condition or spirit.
verbservant (third-person singular simple present servants, present participle servanting, simple past and past participle servanted)

present singular third person servants · participle present servanting · participle past servanted · past servanted · alternative obsolete servaunt · alternative obsolete servand

  1. obsoletetransitiveTo subject.

    Wife, Mother, Child, I know not. My affaires Are Seruanted to others[…]

    c. 1608–1609 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Coriolanus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii]

Synonyms & antonyms

nounOne who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation. As opposed to a slave.

Similar
domestic

More synonyms by meaning

nouna person working in the service of another (especially in the household)

Similar
retainer
Broader
worker

nounin a subordinate position

Similar
handmaidhandmaiden
Broader
subordinatenesssubsidiarity
Also see
handmaidhandmaidenretainervassal

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Old Frenchservant
  2. Middle Englishservaunt
  3. Englishservant

From Middle English servaunt, from Old French servant, from the present participle of the verb servir. Doublet of sergeant and servient. Morphologically serve + -ant. Displaced native Old English þeġn.

More words from Middle English, Old French

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek θεράπων, θεράπαινα
  • θεράπων (therápōn)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • θεράπαινα (therápaina)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • λατρεύς (latreús)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • ὑπηρέτης (hupērétēs)one who serves another, providing help in some manner
Arabic خَادِم, خَادِمَة
  • خَادِم (ḵādim)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • خَادِمَة (ḵādima)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • خَدَم (ḵadam)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
Basque otsein
  • otseinone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
Bengali নোকর, চাকর
  • নোকর (nōkor)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • চাকর (cakor)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
Bulgarian слуга́, слуги́ня
  • слуга́ (slugá)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • слуги́ня (slugínja)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • прислу́жник (prislúžnik)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • прислу́жница (prislúžnica)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • служи́тел (služítel)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • служи́телка (služítelka)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
Catalan servent, criat
  • serventone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • criatone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • servidorone who serves another, providing help in some manner
Chinese Mandarin 僕人 /仆人, 傭人 /佣人
  • 僕人 /仆人 (púrén)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • 傭人 /佣人 (yōngrén)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • 奴僕 /奴仆 (núpú)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • 奴役 (núyì)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
Czech sluha, služka
  • sluhaone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • služkaone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • služebnýone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • služebníkone who serves another, providing help in some manner
Danish tjener
  • tjenerone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
Dutch hulp, hulpje
  • hulpone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • hulpjeone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • huishoudhulpone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • bediendeone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • knechtone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • meidone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • dienaarone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • dienaarone who serves another, providing help in some manner
  • bediendeone who serves another, providing help in some manner
Esperanto servisto
  • servistoone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
Estonian teenija, sulane
  • teenijaone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • sulaneone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
Finnish palvelija, palvelija
  • palvelijaone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • palvelijaone who serves another, providing help in some manner
French domestique, servante
  • domestiqueone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • servanteone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • serviteurone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • serviteurone who serves another, providing help in some manner
German Diener, Dienerin
  • Dienerone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • Dienerinone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • Lakaione who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • Kammerdienerone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • Zofeone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • Bediensteterone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • Bedienerone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • Dienstboteone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • Knechtone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • Magdone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • Dienerone who serves another, providing help in some manner
  • Dienerinone who serves another, providing help in some manner
Greek υπηρέτης, υπηρέτης
  • υπηρέτης (ypirétis)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • υπηρέτης (ypirétis)one who serves another, providing help in some manner
Hebrew מְשָׁרֵת
  • מְשָׁרֵת (mesharét)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
Hindi नौकर, चाकर
  • नौकर (naukar)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • चाकर (cākar)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • नौकरानी (naukrānī)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • सेवक (sevak)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • भृत्य (bhŕtya)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • मुलाज़िम (mulāzim)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
Hungarian szolga, cseléd
  • szolgaone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • cselédone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • szolgálónőone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
Icelandic þjónn
  • þjónnone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
Indonesian pembantu, pelayan
  • pembantuone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • pelayanone who serves another, providing help in some manner
Irish seirbhíseach, searbhónta
  • seirbhíseachone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • searbhóntaone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • seirbhíseachone who serves another, providing help in some manner
  • searbhóntaone who serves another, providing help in some manner
Italian servo, servitore
  • servoone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • servitoreone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • domesticoone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • famiglioone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
Japanese 召使い, 奴僕
  • 召使い (meshitsukai)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • 奴僕 (nuboku)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • 使用人 (shiyōnin)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
Korean 하인, 머슴
  • 하인 (hain)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • 머슴 (meoseum)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • 사용인 (sayong'in)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
Latin minister, ministra
  • ministerone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • ministraone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • famulusone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • famulaone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • ministerone who serves another, providing help in some manner
Latvian kalps, kalpone
  • kalpsone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • kalponeone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • sulainsone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
Lithuanian tarnas, aidukas
  • tarnasone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • aidukasone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
Malay hamba, khadam
  • hambaone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • khadamone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
Māori hāwini, tūmau
  • hāwinione who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • tūmauone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • whetekeone who serves another, providing help in some manner
Norwegian Bokmål tjener
  • tjenerone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
Polish sługa, służący
  • sługaone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • służącyone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • służącaone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • sługaone who serves another, providing help in some manner
  • służącyone who serves another, providing help in some manner
  • służącaone who serves another, providing help in some manner
Portuguese empregado, criado
  • empregadoone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • criadoone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • serviçalone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • serventeone who serves another, providing help in some manner
Romanian servitor, slugă
  • servitorone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • slugăone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • slujitorone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
Russian слуга́, служа́нка
  • слуга́ (slugá)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • служа́нка (služánka)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • прислу́жник (prislúžnik)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • прислу́жница (prislúžnica)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • служи́тель (služítelʹ)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • служи́тельница (služítelʹnica)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • служи́тель (služítelʹ)one who serves another, providing help in some manner
  • служи́тельница (služítelʹnica)one who serves another, providing help in some manner
Scottish Gaelic searbhanta, seirbhiseach
  • searbhantaone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • seirbhiseachone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • searbhantaone who serves another, providing help in some manner
  • seirbhiseachone who serves another, providing help in some manner
Slovak sluha, slúžka
  • sluhaone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • slúžkaone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
Spanish sirviente, sirvienta f criado
  • sirvienteone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • sirvienta f criadoone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • mozoone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • domésticoone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • empleadoone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • servidorone who serves another, providing help in some manner
Swahili mtumishi
  • mtumishione who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
Swedish betjänt, tjänare
  • betjäntone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • tjänareone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • tjänareone who serves another, providing help in some manner
Thai ข้า, บ่าว
  • ข้า (kâa)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • บ่าว (bàao)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • ภัจ (pát)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • คนรับใช้ (kon-ráp-chái)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • เสวก (sěe-wók)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • คนใช้ (kon-chái)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • ภฤตย์ (prʉ́t)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
Turkish hizmetçi, uşak
  • hizmetçione who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • uşakone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • kulone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
Ukrainian слуга́, служни́ця
  • слуга́ (sluhá)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • служни́ця (služnýcja)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
Urdu نَوکَر, چاکَر
  • نَوکَر (naukar)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • چاکَر (cākar)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • نَوکَرانی (naukarānī)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • خادِم (xādim)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • مُلازِم (mulāzim)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
Vietnamese đầy tớ, người hầu
  • đầy tớone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • người hầuone who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
Yiddish דינסט, קנעכט
  • דינסט (dinst)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • קנעכט (knekht)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • באַדינער (badiner)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation
  • באַדינערטע (badinerte)one who is hired to perform regular household or other duties, and receives compensation

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with servant

fervent
All rhymes →

Anagrams

versantstarven
Cite this entry
APA

servant. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/servant

MLA

“servant.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/servant. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “servant,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/servant.

Source: servant on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.