Servus


Servus is a salutation used in many parts of Central and Eastern Europe. It is a word of greeting or parting like the Italian "Ciao".

Etymology

These words originate from servus, the Latin word for servant or slave. The phrase is an ellipsis of a Latin expression servus humillimus, domine spectabilis, meaning " most humble servant, noble lord". No subservience is implied in its modern use, which has the force of "at your service".

Usage

Use of this salute is roughly coincident with the boundaries of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire. It is especially popular in Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, as well as in southern parts of Germany, northern Croatia, eastern Slovenia, and western Ukraine. It may be rarely used in Czech Republic and Poland. The word may be used as a greeting, a parting salutation, or as both, depending on the region and context.
Despite its formal origins, "servus" is now used as an informal salute in Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, Austria, Südtirol, Slovenia, Hungary, and Romania. In Hungarian, several shortened versions of "szervusz" remain popular, like "szevasz", "szeva", "szia", and "szió".