fer

¹ American

[fur, fer] / fɜr, fər /

preposition

Informal.

for.

-fer ² American

a combining form meaning “that which carries” the thing specified by the initial element, used in the formation of compound words.

aquifer; conifer; foraminifer.

-fer British

combining form

indicating a person or thing that bears something specified

crucifer
conifer

"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

Etymology

Origin of fer¹

A phonetic spelling representing the pronunciation of this word in dialectal speech

Origin of -fer²

From Latin, derivative of ferre “to carry, support, bear,” in Latin generally forming adjectives; the corresponding English adjectives add -ous; see bear ¹, -ferous

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

fer -fer

As Oasis reunion fever gripped the nation last year, Scotland went particularly mad fer it.

From BBC ● Feb. 21, 2026

This particular grape was fer servadou, a variety that to my knowledge I had never tried.

From New York Times ● Mar. 21, 2022

Well out here in Durango, it ain’t fit fer a fella.

From Washington Post ● Oct. 4, 2018

“Am . de . fer . - however you say it,” she said.

From Washington Times ● Dec. 16, 2017

“Thanks a lot. An’ thanks fer not givin’ Harry detention neither...”

From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling

The following nouns in -er are declined like puer: adulter, adulterer; gener, son-in-law; Līber, Bacchus; socer, father-in-law; vesper, evening; and compounds in -fer and -ger, as signifer, armiger.

From New Latin Grammar by Charles E. (Charles Edwin) Bennett

The following however, are declined like tener: asper, rough; lacer, torn; līber, free; miser, wretched; prōsper, prosperous; compounds in -fer and -ger; sometimes dexter, right.

From New Latin Grammar by Charles E. (Charles Edwin) Bennett

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

fer