What does serve mean?
Serve is a versatile English verb with several connected meanings. At its core, it means to provide assistance or service: a person can serve customers, serve a community, or serve an important purpose. It can also mean to act in a role, as when someone serves as a chairperson or serves on a committee. In everyday restaurant language, it refers to bringing food or drink to guests. The word has a further sporting sense: in tennis, badminton, and similar games, a serve is the stroke used to begin a rally. Serve is also a noun, most commonly for that stroke, but also for a portion of food served to someone. Although its history includes older ideas of service and servitude, the modern word is usually neutral and often suggests usefulness, responsibility, or active participation.
To provide help, service, or assistance to someone; to act or function in a particular role; or, in a sporting context, to begin a rally by striking the ball.
"The organization serves thousands of families in the region."
The phrase serve as is especially common for an official or temporary role. In sport, serve means to put the ball into play to begin a rally.
A stroke or delivery used to begin a rally in tennis, badminton, or a similar game; less commonly, an individual portion of food served to someone.
"Her powerful serve won the final point."
The sporting sense is the most common modern noun use. The food sense is established but comparatively less frequent.
From the Latin servus, meaning slave, serve grew into one of English's most useful verbs: it can mean to assist, to act in a role, to deliver food, or to put a ball into play.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does serve come from?
Serve entered English through Old French servir, from Latin servire, meaning to serve or be a slave. The Latin verb was related to servus, meaning slave or servant, and developed the broader sense of working for or placing oneself at the service of another. Its relatives include preserve, reserve, deserve, and observe, all of which contain forms of the Latin root servare, meaning to keep or safeguard. The modern English sense expanded from service and attendance to include acting in an official role, providing food, and beginning a sporting rally.
Related word forms
How serve is actually used
The sense of functioning in a role, as in serve as chair, is common in formal and professional contexts. The verb can also have a formal or military flavor when it means to work for an institution or perform official duties. In restaurants, serve is the ordinary word for delivering food or attending to customers. The sporting sense refers specifically to the act of striking the ball to begin a rally.
Easily confused with serve
A serf was a legally bound agricultural laborer, especially in feudal Europe, whereas to serve means to provide help, service, or a function.