Deserve
verbTo be worthy of or entitled to something, whether a reward or a penalty, because of one's actions or qualities.
How to spell deserve
7 letters · 2 syllables
How to pronounce deserve
Say the part in capitals loudest.
What does deserve mean?
- verbTo be worthy of or entitled to something, whether a reward or a penalty, because of one's actions or qualities.
Deserve in a sentence
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After months of overtime, they deserve a proper break.
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Honest workers deserve fair pay for the hours they put in.
Where does deserve come from?
Language of origin: Latin
The word goes back to the Latin deservire, which meant 'to serve well' or 'to serve zealously', built from the intensifying prefix de- (thoroughly) and servire (to serve, to be a servant). The underlying idea was that someone who served their master devotedly had earned a reward, so the verb gradually came to mean being worthy of something through one's conduct. English borrowed it in the 1200s through Old French deservir, which carried exactly this sense of meriting payment or favour for faithful service. Over time the literal link to servants faded, leaving the modern meaning of being entitled to whatever one's actions warrant, whether good or bad. The same servire root still sits inside everyday relatives such as 'serve', 'servant', and 'service', which is a useful reminder that the middle of deserve is simply the word 'serve'.
How the word is built
- de- (thoroughly, fully)
- serve (from Latin servire: to serve)
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