-er

-er¹

suffix

1》 denoting a person or thing that performs a specified action or activity: farmer.

2》 denoting a person or thing that has a specified attribute or form: two-wheeler.

3》 denoting a person concerned with a specified thing: milliner.

4》 denoting a person belonging to a specified place or group: city-dweller.

Origin

OE -ere, of Gmc origin.

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-er²

suffix forming the comparative of adjectives (as in bigger) and adverbs (as in faster).

Origin

OE suffix -ra (adjectival), -or (adverbial), of Gmc origin.

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-er³

suffix forming nouns used informally, usually by distortion of the root word: footer.

Origin

prob. an extended use of -er¹; orig. Rugby School sl., later adopted at Oxford University.

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-er⁴

suffix forming frequentative verbs such as patter.

Origin

OE -erian, -rian, of Gmc origin.

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-er⁵

suffix forming nouns:

1》 such as sampler. Compare with -ar¹. [ending corresponding to L. -aris.]

    ↘such as butler, danger. [ending corresponding to L. -arius, -arium.]

    ↘such as border. [ending corresponding (via OFr. -eure) to L. -atura.]

    ↘such as laver. See laver². [ending corresponding (via OFr. -eor) to L. -atorium.]

2》 equivalent to -or¹.

Origin

via OFr. or Anglo-Norman Fr. (see above).

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-er⁶

suffix chiefly Law (forming nouns) denoting verbal action or a document effecting such action: disclaimer.

Origin

from Anglo-Norman Fr. (infin. ending).