Sergeant
/ˈsɑːr.dʒənt/noun
A noncommissioned officer in the armed forces or a police rank.
Did you know?In medieval Latin, the ancestor of *sergeant* meant a “servant” or “attendant,” and the military rank grew out of that everyday idea of service and duty.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ser-
“to join, link, or put in order”
Latin
Latin
servīre
“to be a slave, serve”
Late Latin
LLatin
serviāns
“serving, attendant”
Old French
Old French
sergent
“servant, attendant; later military officer”
Middle English
English
sergeaunt
“servant, attendant; later a military rank”
Modern English
English
sergeant
“a noncommissioned officer; also a police rank”