Servynge

Part of speech: verb, noun

Definitions

1. Attending to the needs of others or providing assistance to them ; a single measured portion of food or drink presented to one person
2. The act of waiting on or assisting someone in a helpful capacity ; an individual helping of a dish or beverage set out for a diner
3. Rendering aid or useful labor to another person ; a quantity of food or drink dished out as one part of a meal

Etymology: "Servynge" is a Middle English spelling of "serving," the present participle of "serve," used both as a verb form and as a noun for a portion of food. The verb came into English from Old French "servir," which descends from Latin "servire," meaning "to be a slave," from "servus," "slave." The idea of a meal or a duty began with bondage.