-er (?)

.

1. [AS. -ere; akin to L. -arius.]

The termination of many English words, denoting the agent; -- applied either to men or things; as in hater, farmer, heater, grater. At the end of names of places, -er signifies a man of the place; as, Londoner, i. e., London man.

2. [AS. -ra; akin to G. -er, Icel. -are, -re, Goth. -iza, -za, L. -ior, Gr. , Skr. -iyas.]

A suffix used to form the comparative degree of adjectives and adverbs; as, warmer, sooner, lat(e)er, earl(y)ier.

 

© Webster 1913.