A variant spelling of sergeant, a non-commissioned military officer ranking above corporal. Also a surname, as in painter John Singer Sargent.
From Old French sergent, from Latin servientem (serving), the present participle of servire (to serve). The spelling with 'a' reflects older French pronunciation, while 'sergeant' shows later phonetic changes.
John Singer Sargent, the famous portrait painter, bore the older spelling of this military rank. His family name reminds us that many English surnames derive from medieval occupations, when being a sergeant meant serving a lord rather than commanding troops.
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