servent

Servent is a French verb form rather than an English word. It is the third-person plural present indicative form of the verb servir, meaning “to serve.” In standard French, vous also uses the same form for some conjugations, but with subject ils or elles, servir becomes servent, as in Ils servent le dîner (They serve the dinner).

The form is used to describe ongoing or habitual actions performed by multiple subjects. For example, in a restaurant context, one might say: Les serveurs servent rapidement les plats. Translated, this means: The servers serve the dishes quickly. The pronunciation is roughly “ser-VENT,” with the final -ent characteristic of the third-person plural present tense in French.

Etymology and related forms: servir comes from Old French and ultimately from Latin servire, meaning to be a servant or to serve. The present tense forms vary by subject: je sers, tu sers, il/elle sert, nous servons, vous servez, ils servent.

Usage in English-language texts is limited to discussions of French grammar or bilingual material. It is not recognized as an English vocabulary entry, and it is easy to confuse with the English noun servant, which has a distinct meaning and etymology. In glossaries or language-learning resources, servent is typically labeled as a French conjugation form rather than a standalone English term.

See also: Servant, Servir, French verbs.