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• e'er
  e'er

  adverb

  contraction of ever.
• EER
  EER

  abbreviation

  energy efficiency ratio.
• -eer
  -eer

  a noun-forming suffix occurring originally in loanwords from French (buccaneer; mutineer; pioneer ) and productive in the formation of English nouns denoting persons who produce, handle, or are otherwise significantly associated with the referent of the base word (auctioneer; engineer; mountaineer; pamphleteer ); now frequently pejorative (profiteer; racketeer ).

e'er

¹ American  

[air] / ɛər /

adverb

Chiefly Literary.

1. contraction of ever.

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EER ² American  

abbreviation

1. energy efficiency ratio.

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-eer ³ American  

1. a noun-forming suffix occurring originally in loanwords from French (buccaneer; mutineer; pioneer ) and productive in the formation of English nouns denoting persons who produce, handle, or are otherwise significantly associated with the referent of the base word (auctioneer; engineer; mountaineer; pamphleteer ); now frequently pejorative (profiteer; racketeer ).

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-eer ¹ British  

suffix

1. (forming nouns) indicating a person who is concerned with or who does something specified

   auctioneer

   engineer

   profiteer

   mutineer

2. (forming verbs) to be concerned with something specified

   electioneer

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e'er ² British  

/ ɛə /

adverb

1. poetic a contraction of ever

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Usage

What does -eer mean? The suffix -eer is used to denote nouns, and specifically nouns denoting people who produce, handle, or are otherwise associated with the first element of the word. It is often used in everyday and technical terms. The form -eer comes from Middle French -ier, a suffix denoting personal nouns, which comes from Latin -ārius, with the same sense. To learn more, check out our entry for the suffix -ary. What are variants of -eer?While not a variant of -eer per se, -eer is related to the suffix -aire, also from French, which denotes a person characterized or occupied by the stem, as in millionaire.

Etymology

Origin of -eer

< French, Middle French -ier ( Old French < Latin -ārius -ary as suffix of personal nouns); in some nouns replacing earlier suffixes ( see engineer, charioteer) or the French suffix -aire -aire ( see musketeer, volunteer)

Example Sentences

How A Rose E’er Blooming,” which my extended family sings in harmony every year at our annual get-together.

From Slate • Dec. 21, 2015

That instant was I turn’d into a hart And my desires, like fell and cruel hounds, E’er since pursue me.

From New York Times • Mar. 16, 2010

Then demand if Sheba’s queen E’er can banish from her thought All the splendour she has seen, All the knowledge thou hast taught?

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall

And when the stars twinkle so bright, Then down to the door will I creep; To my love will I fly, E'er the jealous can spy, And leave my old daddy asleep.

From Dryden's Works Vol. 3 (of 18) Sir Martin Mar-All; The Tempest; An Evening's Love; Tyrannic Love by Dryden, John

Christ is near, What can here E’er of Him deprive me?

From The Little Treasure of Prayers Being a Translation of the Epitome from the German Larger 'Treasure of prayers' ['Gebets-Schatz'] by Anonymous