Service
/ˈsɜːr.vɪs/noun
The action of helping or doing work for someone, or the use of a system that provides a public function.
Did you know?Service comes through Old French from Latin *servitium*, meaning slavery or servitude, from *servus* “slave,” so the modern word still carries the ghost of bondage beneath its polished surface.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ser-
“to guard, watch over, or protect”
Latin
Latin
servus
“slave, servant”
Latin
Latin
servitium
“slavery, servitude”
Old French
Old French
service
“duty performed by a servant; service, attendance”
Middle English
English
service
“duty, work performed for another; religious office”
Modern English
English
service
“helpful work, maintenance, or a system providing a public function”