Etymology 1

, a coalescence of (agent suffix applied to nouns, cf O.E. from ) from from Latin
; a rhotacized form of O.E. (agent suffix applied to verbs, cf O.E. from ; from ); and O.E. , , (suffix applied to placenames indicating residency, origin, or ethnicity, cf O.E. ) from Proto-Gmc }. Akin to O.H.G. , O.E. .

Alternative forms

• -'er

Suffix

-er

1. person or thing that (does the action indicated by verb); .

   reader, cooker, computer, runner-up, do-gooder

2. resident or inhabitant of (the place denoted by the proper noun); .

   New Yorker

3. person whose occupation is (the noun).

   astrologer, cricketer, trumpeter

4. person or thing ranked by (the number) or having (the measurement or quantified set).

   sixer, six-footer, three-wheeler

Usage notes

The suffix may be used to form an agent noun of many verbs. In compound or phrasal verbs, the suffix usually follows the verb component (as in and ) but is sometimes added at the end, irrespective of the position of the verb component or is added to both components for humorous effect .

Etymology 2

Representing various noun-suffixes in and , variously , and , from , , .

Suffix

-er

1. person or thing connected with

   danger, butler

Etymology 3

From , from or (a derivative of Etymology 4, below).

Suffix

-er

1. more; .

   longer, bigger, faster, sooner, simpler

Usage notes

Adjectives whose comparatives are formed using the suffix also form their superlatives using the suffix .

• • Final preceded by a consonant becomes when the suffix or is added.

    easy → easier → easiest; gay → gayer → gayest

  • When the stress is on the final (or only) syllable of the adjective, and this syllable ends in a single consonant preceded by a single vowel, the final consonant is doubled when the suffix is added.

    dim → dimmer → dimmest

  • The suffixes and may be used to form the comparative and superlative of most adjectives and adverbs that have one syllable and some that have two syllables.

    hot → hotter → hottest; fast → faster → fastest; funny → funnier → funniest

  • Some adjectives and adverbs form their comparatives and superlatives irregularly:

    good → better → best; far → farther → farthest, or far → further → furthest, depending on the meaning

  • The comparatives and superlatives of other adverbs and adjectives that have two syllables, most longer adjectives and adverbs, and adjectives that are participles are formed with and .

    rigid → more rigid → most rigid; enormous → more enormous → most enormous; burnt → more burnt → most burnt; freezing → more freezing → most freezing

  • If in doubt, use to form the comparative and to form the superlative; for example, may become and , but and are also acceptable.

Suffix

-er

1. more; .

Suffix

-er

1. instance of (the verbal action); .

   disclaimer, misnomer

Etymology 6

From , , from .

Suffix

-er

1. frequently; .

   twitter, clamber, mutter

Suffix

-er

1. .

   soccer, rugger, brekkers