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deservio

Etymology and origin of the Latin word deservio

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Cicero
Ultimate origin
Latin (serviō)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [deːˈsɛr.wi.oː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [deˈs̬ɛr.vi.o][1]

Forms

dēserviō (present infinitive dēservīre, perfect active dēservīvī or dēserviī, supine dēservītum); fourth conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from dē- and serviō “to serve”.[2][1][3] Tertullian has a perfect ⟨dēservīsse⟩.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are from Cicero, of devoting oneself to someone's service.[2] Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to serve zealously, devote oneself to someone, as Cicero's letter to Tiro, “while you serve me, you have not served your health enough”, and to devote oneself to pursuits or an employment.[2][5] Lewis and Short call it rare but classical.[5] From Seneca it was used of things serving a purpose.[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to serve zealously, be devoted to.[6] Old French deservir gave English deserve in the mid-13th century, meaning to merit.[7]

Timeline

  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of devoted service.[2][4]
  • 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca uses it of things serving a purpose.[2][4]
  • mid-13th century – English deserve is recorded.[7]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To serve zealously, be devoted to.[2]
  2. To devote oneself to a pursuit.[2]
  3. Of things, to serve a purpose.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  4. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
Cite this entry

“Deservio.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/deservio. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·