What does serviette mean?
Word: Serviette
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Serviette means a square of cloth or paper used at meals to keep your clothes and fingers clean.
How do you spell serviette?
Syllables: ser - vi - ette
Tricky part: The i after the v is said so quickly that pupils skip it, and the word loses a beat.
Watch out for: servette, servyette, serviet
Memory tip: Tap out three beats as you write. The small sound in the middle beat is the i, and it must not go missing.
Serviette in a sentence
Example 1: The hotel in Ooty laid a linen serviette beside each plate.
Example 2: Tuck a paper serviette into your collar before you start on that mango.
Example 3: Mrs D'Souza folded every serviette into a neat fan for the party.
Fun Fact
English borrowed the word from French, where it can also mean a towel or even a briefcase. A French office worker might carry papers in a serviette.
Practise the CREST Way
Spell-o-Spell
One word in the list is misspelt and three are spelt correctly. Choose the meaning of the misspelt word.
1. condiment 2. serviete 3. cutlery 4. crockery
a) something such as salt added to food at the table
b) a folded square for wiping your hands during a meal
c) the knives, forks and spoons on a table
d) the plates, cups and saucers on a table
Show answer
b) a folded square for wiping your hands during a meal. The misspelt word is short of a t near its end.
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word serviette as used in the sentence:
Each guest at the wedding lunch found a white serviette resting on the plate.
a) coaster
b) apron
c) tray
d) napkin
Show answer
d) napkin. Both name the same small square used for wiping your mouth and hands at a meal.
Mingle-Mangle
Rearrange the jumbled letters in the sentence to form a word:
The waiter at the seaside cafe left a clean vsreteeti next to my bowl of soup.
a) service
b) silhouette
c) statuette
d) serviette
Show answer
d) serviette. Nine letters with a v and no h, l, a or u.
Word Cookie
Insert the correct pair of letters to form a word:
s_rvi_tte
a) e, e
b) u, e
c) a, e
d) e, a
Show answer
a) e, e. The same vowel fills both gaps: the one in the verb serve, then the one that opens the French-style ending.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. A party planner orders paper serviettes. What job will they do?
a) wiping sticky fingers after the cake
b) hanging from the ceiling as bunting
c) marking each guest's place at table
d) wrapping small gifts for the guests
Show answer
a) wiping sticky fingers after the cake
2. A serviette does much the same job at table as which everyday item?
a) a handkerchief
b) a table mat
c) a soup ladle
d) a bread bin
Show answer
a) a handkerchief
