-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

pisser

PIS-er/ˈpɪsər/

An annoying or disappointing thing.

Having a party horn blown beside her ear is a real pisser.

An intrusive party guest blows a paper party horn right beside another woman's ear; the irritated woman covers her ear and pushes the nuisance away.

Etymology

pissEnglishto urinate

+-erEnglisha person or thing that does something

The slang sense developed from an extraordinary person or thing toward one that is extraordinarily unpleasant. The selected meaning emphasizes that negative turn: someone or something intensely annoying.

More examples

It's a real pisser when the power fails halfway through dinner.
That extra fee is a pisser, but we still need the tickets.
Flat tires are pissers, especially when you're already running late.

Forms

pisser · pissers

Similar words

bummer: An informal term for a disappointment, without the vulgar tone.
nuisance: Emphasizes annoyance or inconvenience rather than disappointment; not vulgar.