Etymology Dictionary

SALVER,  a plate on which anything is presented.  (Span.,—L.)   Properly salva, but misspelt salver by confusion with the old word salver in the sense of 'preserver,' or one who claims salvage for shipping.   This is shewn by the following.   'Salver, from salvo, to save, is a new fashioned piece of wrought plate, broad and flat, with a foot underneath, and is used in giving beer, or other liquid thing, to save or preserve the carpit or clothes from drops;' Blount's Gloss., ed. 1674.   This invented explanation, oddly enough, does not affect the etymology.—Span. salva, a salver, a plate on which anything is presented; it also means 'pregustation, the previous tasting of viands before they are served up.'   There is also the phrase hacer la salva, 'to drink to one's health;' Neuman.   We also find the dimin. salvilla, a salver.—Span. salvar, 'to save, free from risk; to taste, to prove the food or drink of nobles;' Neuman.—Lat. saluare, to save; see Save, Safe.   ¶ Mr. Wedgwood says:  'as salva was the tasting of meat at a great man's table, salvar, to guarantee, to taste or make the essay of meat served at table, the name of salver is in all probability from the article having been used in connection with the essay.   The Ital. name of the essay was credenza, and the same term was used for a cupboard or sideboard; credentiere, credenzere, a prince's taster, cup-bearer, butler, or cupboard-keeper (Florio).   F. credence ďargent, silver plate, or a cupboard of silver plate;' Cot.   Thus a salver was the name of the plate or tray on which drink was presented to the taster, or to the drinker of a health.