-eur

¹

1. a suffix occurring in loanwords from French, usually agent nouns formed from verbs ( entrepreneur; voyeur ), less commonly adjectives ( agent provocateur ).

Eur.

²

abbreviation for

1. Europe.
2. European.

eur-

combining_form

1. See euro-
   a variant of euro-

Word History and Origins

Origin of -eur¹

< French; Old French -o ( u ) r < Latin -ōr- -or ² and -eo ( u ) r < Latin -ātōr- -ator; -tor

Example Sentences

Like the corresponding French nouns in -eur, these nouns in -aire, as well as those in -èire, are also used as adjectives.

From Project Gutenberg

The same sentiment, though expressed the contrary way, occurs in Eur.

From Project Gutenberg

There can be no doubt that the fylfot throughout Eur-Asia had a symbolic significance, which in many places it still retains.

From Project Gutenberg

A plaintive phee-eur; a short, plaintive, twittering warble.

From Project Gutenberg

Words That Use -Eur

What does -eur mean?

The form -eur is a suffix that marks an agent noun or, occasionally, an adjective in loanwords from French. Agent nouns are nouns that indicate a person who does an action. Broadly speaking, then, -eur means “doer.” The suffix -eur is relatively common in both everyday and technical terms.

The suffix -eur ultimately comes from the Latin -or or -ator, which was used to indicate agent nouns.

An equivalent of -eur in words from English is the suffix -er, as in singer (someone who sings).

What are variants of -eur?

When agent nouns ending in -eur are used to refer to a feminine-gendered element, -eur becomes -euse, as in chanteuse (a female singer). Although -eur is a masculine-gendered ending for agent nouns, it is often (though not always) preferred over -euse as the default in English, regardless of the subject’s gender.

Want to know more? Read our Words That Use -euse article.

Examples of -eur

One example of a word you may be familiar with that features the suffix -eur is entrepreneur, “a person who organizes and manages any enterprise, especially a business, usually with considerable initiative and risk.”

The first part of the word, entrepren-, comes from the French entreprendre, meaning “to undertake,” like in the related word enterprise. Because the suffix -eur means “doer”, entrepreneur roughly translates to “someone who undertakes (some venture).”

What are some words that use the suffix -eur?

The following words are all French loanwords and therefore use the equivalent form of -eur in French.

• chauffeur
• connoisseur
• danseur
• masseur
• provocateur
• rapporteur

What are some other forms that -eur may be commonly confused with?

• -eum
• -ure

Not every word that ends with the exact letters -eur uses the suffix -eur to indicate a “doer.” Non-agent nouns with similar endings include grandeur and monseigneur. Learn why monseigneur means “my lord” at our entry for the word.

Break it down!

A connoisseur is a kind of expert judge or discerning enthusiast, especially in fine arts of matters of taste. Given that the connoiss- part of the word comes from the French verb for “to know,” what is a literal translation of connoisseur?