er

[ uh, er ]

See synonyms for er on Thesaurus.com

interjection

(used to express or represent a pause, hesitation, uncertainty, etc.)

Words that may be confused with er

er , err

Words Nearby er

Other definitions for Er (2 of 13)

Symbol, Chemistry.

erbium.

Other definitions for ER (3 of 13)

abbreviation

Baseball. earned run.
efficiency report.

emergency room.

Other definitions for -er (4 of 13)

-er¹

a suffix used in forming nouns designating persons from the object of their occupation or labor (hatter; tiler; tinner; moonshiner), or from their place of origin or abode (Icelander; southerner; villager), or designating either persons or things from some special characteristic or circumstance (six-footer; three-master; teetotaler; fiver; tenner).
a suffix serving as the regular English formative of agent nouns, being attached to verbs of any origin (bearer; creeper; employer; harvester; teacher; theorizer).

Origin of -er

⁴

Middle English -er(e), a coalescence of Old English -ere agentive suffix (cognate with Old High German -āri, Gothic -areis, from unattested Germanic -arjaz, from unattested Slavic -arĭ, from Latin -ārius ) and Old English -ware suffix forming nouns of ethnic or residential origin (e.g., Rōmware “Romans”), cognate with Old High German -āri, from unattested Germanic -warioz “people”; see origin at -ary

Compare -ier¹, -yer.

Other definitions for -er (5 of 13)

-er²

a noun suffix occurring in loanwords from French in the Middle English period, most often names of occupations (archer; butcher; butler; carpenter; grocer; mariner; officer), but also other nouns (corner; danger; primer). Some historical instances of this suffix, as in banker or gardener, where the base is a recognizable modern English word, are now indistinguishable from denominal formations with -er1, as miller or potter.

Origin of -er

⁵

Middle English <Anglo-French -er, equivalent to Old French -er, -ier<Latin -ārius, -ārium.Cf. -ary, -eer, -ier²

Other definitions for -er (6 of 13)

-er³

a termination of nouns denoting action or process: dinner; rejoinder; remainder; trover.

Origin of -er

⁶

<French, originally infinitive suffix -er, -re

Other definitions for -er (7 of 13)

-er⁴

a suffix regularly used in forming the comparative degree of adjectives: harder; smaller.

Origin of -er

⁷

Middle English -er(e), -re,Old English -ra, -re; cognate with German -er

Other definitions for -er (8 of 13)

-er⁵

a suffix regularly used in forming the comparative degree of adverbs: faster.

Origin of -er

⁸

Middle English -er(e), -re,Old English -or; cognate with Old High German -or,German -er

Other definitions for -er (9 of 13)

-er⁶

a formal element appearing in verbs having frequentative meaning: flicker; flutter; shiver; shudder.

Origin of -er

⁹

Middle English; Old English -r-; cognate with German -(e)r-

Other definitions for -er (10 of 13)

-er⁷

a suffix that creates informal or jocular mutations of more neutral words, which are typically clipped to a single syllable if polysyllabic, before application of the suffix, and which sometimes undergo other phonetic alterations: bed-sitter; footer; fresher; rugger. Most words formed thus have been limited to English public-school and university slang; few, if any, have become current in North America, with the exception of soccer, which has also lost its earlier informal character.

Origin of -er

¹⁰

Probably modeled on nonagentive uses of -er¹; said to have first become current in University College, Oxford, 1875–80

Compare -ers.

Other definitions for E.R. (11 of 13)

E.R.¹

abbreviation

King Edward.

Origin of E.R.

¹¹

From New Latin Edwardus Rex

Other definitions for E.R. (12 of 13)

E.R.²

abbreviation

Queen Elizabeth.

Origin of E.R.

¹²

From New Latin Elizabeth Regina

Other definitions for E.R. (13 of 13)

E.R.³

abbreviation

East Riding (Yorkshire).
East River (New York City).

emergency room.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use er in a sentence

I was taken to the hospital by ambulance and sat in the er waiting room for what felt like days.
How I Stopped My Rapist | Natasha Alexenko | November 24, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
The shift in language and content is click-bait for the enterprising eBay-er.
Dismembering History: The Shady Online Trade in Ancient Texts | Candida Moss | November 23, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
The EU has said, since Haaretz broke the story, er, well, we have no such plans.
After the Israel Synagogue Massacre: A New Intifada? | Michael Tomasky | November 19, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
er, um, because the people dying of Ebola in West Africa are black?
Ebola Scare-Mongerer Rand Paul Wants You to Think You’re Going to Die | Sally Kohn | October 12, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Fame came with er in the mid-1990s and Clooney's role as heart-throb doctor Doug Ross.
Clooney: A Constant Charmer at the Altar | Tim Teeman | September 28, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST

He can't talk much, though; 'tain't good fur him; his lungs is out er kilter.
Ramona | Helen Hunt Jackson
Thar couldn't nothin' kill her, short er wild beasts, ef she hed ther baby 'n her arms!
Ramona | Helen Hunt Jackson
The subject is made more embarrassing because of its—er, rather personal nature.
The Homesteader | Oscar Micheaux
It is true that I was impressed with him in a way, because the man was rather—er, inspiring, and I entertained hopes.
The Homesteader | Oscar Micheaux
The place he put it in was—er—a little below golf and a little above classical concerts.
First Plays | A. A. Milne

British Dictionary definitions for er (1 of 6)

er¹

/ (ə, ɜː) /

interjection

a sound made when hesitating in speech

British Dictionary definitions for er (2 of 6)

er²

the internet domain name for

Eritrea

British Dictionary definitions for Er (3 of 6)

the chemical symbol for

erbium

British Dictionary definitions for ER (4 of 6)

abbreviation for

(in the US) Emergency Room (in hospitals)
Elizabeth Regina

Eduardus Rex

Origin of ER

⁴

Latin: Queen Elizabeth

British Dictionary definitions for -er (5 of 6)

-er¹

suffix forming nouns

a person or thing that performs a specified action: reader; decanter; lighter
a person engaged in a profession, occupation, etc: writer; baker; bootlegger

a native or inhabitant of: islander; Londoner; villager
a person or thing having a certain characteristic: newcomer; double-decker; fiver

Origin of -er

⁵

Old English -ere; related to German -er, Latin -ārius

British Dictionary definitions for -er (6 of 6)

-er²

suffix

forming the comparative degree of adjectives (deeper, freer, sunnier, etc) and adverbs (faster, slower, etc)

Origin of -er

⁶

Old English -rd, -re (adj), -or (adv)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for Er

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