Where does “-er” come from?
-er (Middle English) comes from Old French -er, from Latin -āre, from Proto-Italic -āō, from Proto-Indo-European -eh₂yéti, from Proto-Indo-European -yéti, from Proto-Indo-European yé-, from Chichewa iye — he, she.
-er (Middle English): agentive suffix; agent noun suffix
Definitions
- agentive suffix; agent noun suffix
Ancestry of “-er”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old French | -er | Alternative form of -ier, verbal suffix;... |
| 2 | Latin | -āre | — |
| 3 | Proto-Italic | -āō | Forms primarily denominative verbs |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | -eh₂yéti | Creates iterative/ frequentative/ intensive... |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | -yéti | Creates intransitive, often deponent,... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | yé- | — |
| 7 | Chichewa | iye | he, she |