Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

-er

/ɚ/

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: 4.24 in modern English

Syllables: -er
IPA: /ɚ/

2

Scrabble Score

2

Letters

2

Syllables

2

Unique Chars

Meaning

suffix

A person or thing that does an action indicated by the root verb; used to form an agent noun.

suffix

A person or thing to which the root verb is done or can be done satisfactorily.

Informal

suffix

A person whose occupation is the root noun; (more broadly, occasionally with adjectives) a person characterized by the root.

suffix

A person or thing to which a certain number or measurement applies.

suffix

Used to form nouns shorter than more formal synonyms.

Slang

suffix

A person who is associated with, or supports a particular theory, doctrine, or political movement.

suffix

A thing that is related in some way to the root, such as by location or purpose.

suffix

Indicates a correspondence or coincidence between the action or condition indicated by the root and the noun being described.

Slang

Example Sentences

"read + -er → reader"
"see + -er → seer"
"cook + -er → cooker"
"compute + -er → computer"
"run + -er → runner"
"toast + -er → toaster"

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *-yósder. Proto-Italic *-āzios Latin -āriusnom. Latin -āriusbor. Proto-Germanic *-ārijaz Proto-West Germanic *-ārī Old English -ere Middle English -ere English -er Inherited from Middle English -ere, -er, from Old English -ere, from Proto-West Germanic *-ārī, from Proto-Germanic *-ārijaz, usually thought to have been borrowed from Latin -ārius; see Proto-Germanic *-ārijaz for an alternate theory. Reinforced by Middle English -er, from Old French -ier, also from Latin -ārius; compare the synonymous but unrelated Old French -or, -eor (Anglo-Norman variant -our), from Latin -(ā)tor, from Proto-Indo-European *-tōr. The "inhabitant" sense is sometimes connected to Middle English -wær(r)e, -ware, from Old English -ware (suffix denoting residency), from Proto-West Germanic *-wari, from Proto-Germanic *warjaz (“inhabitant”), from Proto-Indo-European *wer- (“to protect”). Cognates Cognate with Saterland Frisian -er, West Frisian -er, Dutch -er, German Low German -er, German -er, Danish -er, Swedish -are and Icelandic -ari.

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: -ere, -er, -ere, *-ārī, *-ārijaz, -ārius, -er

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ɚ/
British English: /ə/

Usage

Inflected Forms

-ers (plural) -'er (alternative) -r (alternative)

Phrases

-eer -ren -zza -ers -ed -ee -ess -ress

Frequently Paired Words

-eer -ers -ed -ee -ess -ress -trix -est

Synonyms

-le

Homonyms

-or -a (non-rhotic)

Antonyms

-ee

Questions

How do you pronounce -er?: The recorded pronunciation is /ɚ/.
What does -er mean?: A person or thing that does an action indicated by the root verb; used to form an agent noun.
Where does -er come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce -er

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “-er”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ɚ/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “-er”.
Repeat and practice — Say “-er” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.