servus

Bavarian

Alternative forms

• servas, seas

Etymology

An ellipsis from the commoners’ greeting once said to feudal lords, "servus humillimus [, Domine spectabilis]", in Latin meaning "(I am your) most humble servant[, (O/my) noble lord]".

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈse̞ɐ̯vus/, /ˈse̞ɐ̯βus/
• Hyphenation: ser‧vus

Interjection

servus

1. (informal) hello, hi
2. (informal) bye, goodbye

Derived terms

• nå servus

Czech

Alternative forms

• serbus (rare)

Etymology

The greeting evolved by the commoners greeting their lords with the words servus humillimus, Domine spectabilis, meaning your humble servant, my noble lord. No subservience is implied in its modern use.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈsɛrvus]

Interjection

servus

1. (colloquial) hi, hiya

   Synonym: ahoj

2. (colloquial) cheerio, bye, so long, ta-ta

   Synonym: ahoj

Further reading

• “servus”, in Příruční slovník jazyka českého (in Czech), 1935–1957
• “servus”, in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého (in Czech), 1960–1971, 1989

Esperanto

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈservus/
• Rhymes: -ervus
• Hyphenation: ser‧vus

Verb

servus

1. conditional of servi

German

English Wikipedia has an article on:

servus

Wikipedia

Etymology

An ellipsis from the commoners’ greeting once said to feudal lords, "servus humillimus [, Domine spectabilis]", in Latin meaning "(I am your) most humble servant[, (O/my) noble lord]".

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsɛrvus/ ~ IPA^(key): /ˈzɛɐ̯vus/

• Audio:

  (file)

Interjection

servus

1. (chiefly Southern Germany, Austria, informal) hello, hi

   Synonyms: hallo, hi, hey, grüß Gott, moin

   • 1894 February 14, “Ein Halodri.”, in Österreichische Volks-Zeitung‎, number 44:

     Seine Blicke kreuzten sich mit denen seines Schwagers, der Postbeamter war und eben mit dem Postzuge von der entgegengesetzten Seite in die Station einfuhr. "Servus, Edi! Wohin, wohin?"

     His eyes met those of his brother-in-law, who was a post official and at just that moment arrived at the station with a post train coming from the opposite direction. "Hello, Edi! Where to, where to?"

   • 2021, Eli Voss, Mit fünfzig erwartest du Meer, Penguin Random House, →ISBN:

     Schon steht er an meinem Tisch und hält mir die Hand entgegen. »Horst Brettschneider. Servus, du. Im ersten Moment habe ich geglaubt, du seist die Inge.«

     In the blink of an eye he is standing next to my table and is offering me his hand. "Horst Brettschneider. Hi, you. At first I thought you were Inge".

2. (chiefly Southern Germany, Austria, informal) goodbye, bye, farewell
   • 1980 [1954], Hermann Broch, chapter 9, in Die Verzauberung‎, Suhrkamp:

     »Vielleicht treffen Sie mich dort«, flüsterte Suck. Lax drehte sich um: »Servus, Suck«, sagte er und schlug ihm auf die Schulter, »heirat' bald.« Doch als wir weiterfuhren, da war er finster und nachdenklich.

     "Maybe you'll meet me there", Suck whispered. Lax turned around: "Goodbye, Suck", he said, and dropped his hand on his shoulder, "marry soon." But when we traveled on, his mood was dark and pensive.

   • 1998, Martin Walser, Ein springender Brunnen‎, Suhrkamp, →ISBN, page 84:

     Servus, rief Ludwig und rannte davon.

     Bye, Ludwig called, and ran off.

3. (as a toast) cheers

   Synonym: prost

Usage notes

• No subservience is implied in modern use, and the origin of the term is not commonly known. Educated usage may be sincere, jocular or ironic.
• This salutation is used in Southern Germany and throughout the former Austria-Hungary (see cognates on this page), in varying frequency throughout those areas.
• Despite the formal origins of the term, its usage is now chiefly, but not exclusively informal; the degree of decorum is dependent on context of region, dialect, class, or even village.

Related terms

• Service

Further reading

• “servus” in Duden online
• “servus” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache

Hungarian

Etymology

See szervusz.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈsɛrvus]
• Hyphenation: ser‧vus
• Rhymes: -us

Interjection

servus

1. (archaic) alternative form of szervusz: hello; goodbye

Further reading

• szervusz in Géza Bárczi, László Országh, et al., editors, A magyar nyelv értelmező szótára [The Explanatory Dictionary of the Hungarian Language] (ÉrtSz.), Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1959–1962. Fifth ed., 1992: →ISBN.