—used to express hesitation
    
                
                    
                                
              
          
                                                      erbium                                      
                
                    
1
                    
                                          
              
          
                                                      earned run                                      
                
                    
2
                    
                                          
              
          
                                                      emergency room                                      
                
                    
-er
4 of 5adjective suffix or adverb suffix
                                
              
            
                  —used to form the comparative degree of adjectives and adverbs of one syllable
hotter
drier
             and of some adjectives and adverbs of two or more syllablescompleter
beautifuller
    
                
                    
            variants  
 or less commonly -ier  
 or -yer
        
    1
                    
        a
    
          
                                          
              
          
                                                      : person occupationally connected with                                      
              
                             
furrier
                                       lawyer
                         
                
                    
        b
    
          
                                          
              
          
                                                      : person or thing belonging to or associated with                                      
              
                             
header
                                       old-timer
                         
                
                    
        c
    
          
                                          
              
          
                                                      : native of : resident of                                      
              
                             
cottager
                                       New Yorker
                         
                
                    
        d
    
          
                                          
              
          
                                                      : one that has                                      
              
                             
three-decker
                         
                
                    
        e
    
          
                                          
              
          
                                                      : one that produces or yields                                      
              
                             
porker
                         
                
                    2
                    
        a
    
          
                                          
              
          
                                                      : one that does or performs (a specified action)                                      
              
                             
batter
                         
                
                  —sometimes added to both elements of a compoundbuilder-upper
    
                
                    
        b
    
          
                                          
              
          
                                                      : one that is a suitable object of (a specified action)                                      
              
                             
broiler
                         
                
                    3
                    
                                          
              
          
                                                      : one that is                                      
              
                             
foreigner
                         
                
                  —in all senses -yer in a few words after w, -ier in a few other words, otherwise -er
    
                
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  Merriam-Webster unabridged




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