What is the difference between a serviette and a napkin?

Question

Please don't say nothing - if there are two different words, there are two different meanings, even if just in origin or usage.

Answer 1

• serviette
n. table napkin, piece of cloth or paper used to protect one's clothing or to clean one's face and hands while eating

• napkin
n. cloth used for wiping one's face and fingers while eating and to protect clothing; diaper (British); handkerchief (British)

Answer 2

no - they are the same thing - in south africa they call a napkin a serviette. probably has to do with root of the word - serve - and the iette is small - so small serving item perhaps is the origin.
there's a lot of words like that though - they also called diapers "nappies", and the phrase "see you just now" didn't mean now at all - it meant later, whenever.

Answer 3

I grew up near the french border in germany and we used to use the word "serviette" when we meant napkin (the nicely folded, stand-up type in a formal setting).

Answer 4

Some Canadians would say "serviette" for a paper one, and "napkin" for a cloth one.

Answer 5

origin is different. serviette comes from french. basically serviette is a posher way to say napkin. like, in the old times lord x said 'serviette' and his servant said 'napkin'.

Answer 6

Serviette is those paper form that u wipe and throw.
Napkin is the cloth type that you hang near your collar or neckline to prevent your clothing from getting dirty.

Answer 7

I agree with Wayne -- it's a dialectal difference. Some dialects of English call it "serviette", others call it "napkin".

Answer 8

location location location! - when I lived in Canada, they called it a serviette. When we moved to the States, it was now a napkin, voila!

Answer 9

serviette
"table napkin," 1489, from Fr. serviette "napkin, towel," perhaps from pp. of servir "to serve"

napkin
1420, from O.Fr. nappe "tablecloth"
kin = little

Answer 10

Spelling and pronounciation different!!!

2 pts gained!