Etymology

ringer

R1I1N1G2E1R1

Today it means: Someone who rings, especially a bell ringer. Full definition →

Middle English ringere
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ringer · noun1

  1. Middle English · inherited fromringere
  2. English todayringer

From Middle English ringere, rynger, ryngar, equivalent to ring (“to sound a bell”) + -er.

ringer · noun2

  1. Proto-Indo-European*(s)ker-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*(s)krengʰ-
  3. Proto-Indo-European*(s)krengʰos
  4. Proto-Germanic*hringaz
  5. Proto-West Germanic*hring
  6. Old Englishhring
  7. Middle Englishryng
  8. Englishring
  9. English todayringer

From ring (“to surround”) + -er.

ringer · noun3

Unknown. Probably so named after the custom of ringing a bell to denote the winner of a contest or competition.

ringer · noun4

Some senses may derive from ring the changes (“run through variations; enliven; pass counterfeit money; trick a shopkeeper into giving too much change”).

ringer · noun5

Unclear. Compare ring of truth, and see the "fake, impostor" sense at Etymology 4.

ringer · noun6

From ring + -er, from the noun.

Ringer · proper noun7

  1. Middle English · inherited fromRyngere
  2. English todayRinger

Inherited from Middle English Ryngere, from ryngere (“bell-ringer”).

Ringer · noun8

From ring + -er.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.