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-er 1
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suff.
1.
a. One that performs a specified action: swimmer.
b. One that undergoes or is capable of undergoing a specified action: broiler.
c. One that has: ten-pounder.
d. One that is associated or involved with: banker.
2.
a. Native or resident of: New Yorker.
b. One that is: foreigner.

[Middle English, partly from Old English -ere (from Germanic *-ārjaz, from Latin -ārius, -ary), partly from Anglo-French -er (from Old French -ier, from Latin -ārius) and partly from Old French -ere, -eor; see -OR1.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 
-er 2
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suff.
Used to form the comparative degree of adjectives and adverbs: darker; faster.

[Middle English, from Old English -re, -ra.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 
ER
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abbr.
emergency room

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 
Er
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The symbol for erbium.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 
'er (ûr)
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Informal
Contraction of her: Look at 'er go!

[Middle English her, er; see HER.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 
er (ûr)
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interj.
Used to express hesitation or uncertainty.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.