sergeant

sergeant
\ \ [12] A sergeant is etymologically simply a ‘servant’ – and indeed that is what the word originally meant in English. It comes via Old French sergent from Latin servient-, the present participial stem of servīreserve’. It was subsequently incorporated into the terminology of the feudal system, roughly equivalent in application to esquire, and it was also used for various legal officers, but it does not seem to have become a specific military rank until the mid 16th century. ‘Sergeant’ then was a comparatively exalted position, but by the end of the century we see it settling into its modern niche as a senior noncommissioned officer.
\ \ Cf.SERVANT, SERVE

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • Sergeant — (engl.), Sergent (franz.), Sargento (port. und span., von lat. serviens, dienend) ist in zahlreichen angelsächsischen und romanischen Ländern ein Unteroffiziersdienstgrad oder Polizeidienstgrad. In Frankreich wird der Sergent in den sog.… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Sergeant — Ser geant, n. [F. sergent, fr. L. serviens, entis, p. pr. of servire to serve. See {Serve}, and cf. {Servant}.] [Written also {serjeant}. Both spellings are authorized. In England {serjeant} is usually preferred, except for military officers. In… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • sergeant — Ser geant, n. [F. sergent, fr. L. serviens, entis, p. pr. of servire to serve. See {Serve}, and cf. {Servant}.] [Written also {serjeant}. Both spellings are authorized. In England {serjeant} is usually preferred, except for military officers. In… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • sergeant — Sergeant, Satelles, Accensus. Semble qu il vienne de Seruiens seruientis: Car il est comme serviteur ou servant du juge. Si de Servient trissyllabe, par mutation de i vocal en i consonant, nous faisons un mot dissyllabe, nous dirons Serv jent,… …   Thresor de la langue françoyse

  • sergeant — [sär′jənt] n. [ME serjaunt < OFr sergant < L serviens, serving < servire, to SERVE] 1. former a feudal servant who attended his master in battle 2. SERGEANT AT ARMS 3. ☆ a) U.S. Army U.S. Marine Corps a noncommissioned officer of the… …   English World dictionary

  • Sergeant — Sm Dienstgrad eines Unteroffiziers per. Wortschatz fach. (13. Jh.), mhd. serjant Entlehnung. Entlehnt aus mfrz. sergent, dieses aus ml. serviēns Dienender , zu l. servīre dienen ; servieren. So bezeichnet ist zunächst ein niederer Beamter des… …   Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschen sprache

  • sergeant — (n.) c.1200, servant, from O.Fr. sergent, from M.L. servientum (nom. serviens) servant, vassal, soldier (in L.L. public official ), from L. servientem serving, prp. of servire to serve (see SERVE (Cf. serve)); cognate with Sp. sirviente, It …   Etymology dictionary

  • Sergeant — »Unteroffizier«: Die heute im deutschen Heerwesen nicht mehr übliche Dienstgradbezeichnung wurde bereits im Anfang des 17. Jh.s aus frz. sergent »Gerichtsdiener; Unteroffizier« entlehnt. In jüngster Zeit begegnet das Wort infolge erneuter… …   Das Herkunftswörterbuch

  • sergeant — sergeant, serjeant The normal spelling in the context of the police and the army is sergeant; serjeant is usually restricted to the titles of certain ceremonial offices, such as the serjeant at arms with reference to the British parliamentary or… …   Modern English usage

  • sergeant — ► NOUN 1) a rank of non commissioned officer in the army or air force, above corporal and below staff sergeant. 2) Brit. a police officer ranking below an inspector. ORIGIN originally in the senses «servant» and «common soldier»: from Old French… …   English terms dictionary

  • Sergeant — (fr., spr. Serschang), 1) in den meisten Heeren die ältesten Unteroffiziere einer Compagnie, welche höheren Sold bekommen; in anderen Heeren gehört auch der Fourier, Capitän d Armes u. Feldwebel dazu; Letzter heißt dann, wie bei den Franzosen, S …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

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