DictionaryRoot: -er
English

-er

a person or thing that does something

Forms

  • -er
  • -r — Used after some bases ending in e.

Origin

Old English -ere, generally traced through Germanic to Latin -arius.

Note

It can name a tool as readily as a person. The comparison ending in taller has a different history.

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noun

slaver

Someone engaged in enslaving people or trading enslaved people.

Etymology

The agent ending names a person engaged in the activity associated with slave. In this use it identifies an enslaver or trader in enslaved people.

Full entry

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