Etymology Explorer › Middle French

Where does “-er” come from?

-er (Middle French) comes 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 French): Forms infinitives of first-conjugation verbs;...

Definitions

  1. Forms infinitives of first-conjugation verbs;...

Ancestry of “-er”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latin-āre—
2Proto-Italic-āōForms primarily denominative verbs
3Proto-Indo-European-eh₂yétiCreates iterative/ frequentative/ intensive...
4Proto-Indo-European-yétiCreates intransitive, often deponent,...
5Proto-Indo-Europeanyé-—
6Chichewaiyehe, she

Words derived from “-er”

  • quarter
  • quarters
  • headquarters
  • discourage
  • quarterly
  • discouraging
  • discouragement
  • quarterback
  • financier
  • brigadier
  • auctioneer
  • dismantle
  • privateer
  • mountaineer
  • dossier
  • charioteer
  • grenadier
  • mountaineering
  • quarterdeck
  • profiteering
  • buccaneer
  • rentier
  • disgorge
  • pamphleteer
Every word from Chichewa iye →