-yer

suffix

Agent suffix, equivalent to -er, appended to some nouns (especially those ending in the letter "w" or "v").

“saw + -yer → sawyer /ˈsɔːjər/”

OriginMiddle English -iere ← Old French -ier →
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Meanings

suffix
  1. idiomaticrareusuallyAgent suffix, equivalent to -er, appended to some nouns (especially those ending in the letter "w" or "v").

    saw + -yer → sawyer /ˈsɔːjər/

    1 more example

    law + -yer → lawyer (AmE /ˈlɔɪər/)

Origin

  1. Old French-ier
  2. Middle English-iere
  3. English-yer

Inherited from Middle English -iere, probably from -ien (infinitival suffix) + -ere (agent noun); i.e. nouns in -ere built on verbs in -ien; possibly reinforced by Old French -ier once -ie- became a rising diphthong. More at -ier, -er.

More words from Middle English, Old French

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

-yer. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-yer

MLA

“-yer.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-yer. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “-yer,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-yer.

Source: -yer on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.