serjant

Middle English

Noun

serjant

1. Alternative form of serjaunt

Old French

Alternative forms

• sargant, sargeant, sargiant, sergant, sergaunt, sergeant, sergeaunt, sergent, serjaunt, serjeant, serjeaunt, serjont, siergeant

Etymology

From Latin servientem (literally “serving, one who serves”), present participle of servīre (“to serve”).

Pronunciation

• (archaic) IPA^(key): /sɛɾˈd͡ʒent/, /saɾˈd͡ʒent/
• (classical) IPA^(key): /sɛɾˈd͡ʒant/, /saɾˈd͡ʒant/, (Norman) /sɛɾˈd͡ʒawnt/
• (late) IPA^(key): /sɛɾˈʒant/, /saɾˈʒant/, (Norman) /sɛɾˈʒawnt/

Noun

serjant oblique singular, m (oblique plural serjanz or serjantz, nominative singular serjanz or serjantz, nominative plural serjant)

1. a military rank, roughly equivalent to sergeant
   • c. 1170, Chrétien de Troyes, Érec et Énide:

     Tot maintenant la dameisele
     Un suen serjant privé apele.

     Right away, the lady
     Calls her own sergeant

Descendants

• French: sergeant
• Middle English: serjaunt
  • English: sergeant
    • → Manx: sarjant
  • Scots: sairjint

References

• sergant on the Anglo-Norman On-Line Hub