salver
/ˈsalvə
/noun
A tray, typically one made of silver and used in formal circumstances.Included in the collection is a large engraved William IV silver oval tray and a pair of William IV sterling silver salvers, both dated 1831 and hallmarked 1833....
- We were waited on hand and foot, served from silver salvers with tasty canapés and our glasses were never empty,’ said Mr Clarkson.
- No big ‘art opening’ is complete without a bottle of wine ‘breathing’ gently in the corner and petit slices of elegant cheese perched atop silver salvers.
Synonyms
platter, plate, dish, tray;
Scottish & Northern English ashet
archaic trencher, charger
rare paten
Origin
Mid 17th century: from French salve 'tray for presenting food to the king', from Spanish salva 'sampling of food', from salvar 'make safe'.
Early Spanish kings were afraid of being poisoned, so they employed servants to taste their food and drink before touching it themselves. The taster would put items that had been checked on a tray or salver for presenting to the monarch—anything on the tray was free from danger. Spanish salva ‘the sampling of food’ came from salvar ‘to make safe’ and goes back to Latin salvus ‘uninjured, safe’, the root also of safety, salute, and save.