sergeant English · revision 7612

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1200|origins=la servio}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈsɑː.d͡ʒənt/ ''(UK)''; /ˈsɑɹ.d͡ʒənt/, /ˈsɑɹ(ə)nt/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English sergante, sergeaunt, [[bor|fro|sergent|t=servant, court official, soldier]], serjant,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) from Medieval Latin [[m|la-med|serviens|t=servant, vassal, soldier]] (Late Latin, a public official),^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from Latin serviens, present participle of [[m|la|servio|alt=servīre|t=to serve]] (see [[serve]]).^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Cresswell 2021) It is essentially a doublet of [[servant]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A servant or attendant: probably before 1200 in Barnhart, about 1200 in Etymonline and the OED; as a surname from the late 12th century.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the 16th century writers sometimes used sergeant and servant interchangeably.^(Etymonline) An officer of a city or royal household is from about 1250,^(Barnhart 1988) and a common soldier from about 1300.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989) In feudal use a tenant by military service below the rank of knight is from about 1290–1300.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) An officer who enforces the judgements of a court is from before 1300,^(OED 1989) and the serjeant-at-law from the 13th century, after law Latin serviens ad legem;^(Hoad 1986) the spelling serjeant came to be kept for legal use.^(Hoad 1986)^(Cresswell 2021) The military non-commissioned officer is first found in 1548 (the 1540s).^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) A police officer ranking between constable and inspector is a later British sense.^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1200 – a servant.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1250 – an officer of a household.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1300 – a common soldier; a feudal tenant.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+ * 13th century – serjeant-at-law.^(Hoad 1986)

+ * 1548 – a non-commissioned officer.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[non-commissioned officer]] in an army or air force, usually ranking above a [[corporal]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A [[police]] officer ranking, in Britain, between constable and inspector, or in the US below a captain or lieutenant.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A [[sergeant at arms]], or a court or city officer with ceremonial duties.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[sergeancy]]

+ * [[sarge]]

+ * [[first sergeant]]

+ * [[gunnery sergeant]]

+ * [[lance sergeant]]

+ * [[master gunnery sergeant]]

+ * [[master sergeant]]

+ * [[sergeant first class]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[serjeant]]

+ * [[servant]]

+ * [[serve]]

+ * [[service]]

+ * [[sergeant major]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}