後綴-ster = 做…的人、與…有關系的人
一些含有此後綴的詞含有賤稱 / 輕蔑的意義,表示“某種樣子的人”,例如:trickster 騙子、gamester 賭徒 / 賭棍、gangster 匪徒 / 歹徒、mobster 暴徒 / 匪徒;亦可表示“交通工具”,如:speedster 雙座高速車。
英文詞源:Old English -istre, from Proto-Germanic *-istrijon, feminine agent suffix used as the equivalent of masculine -ere (see -er (1)). Also used in Middle English to form nouns of action (meaning "a person who ...") without regard for gender.
The genderless agent noun use apparently was a broader application of the original feminine suffix, beginning in the north of England, but linguists disagree over whether this indicates female domination of weaving and baking trades, as represented in surnames such as Webster, Baxter, Brewster, etc. (though spinster probably carries an originally female ending). Also whitester "one who bleaches cloth." In Modern English, the suffix has been productive in forming derivative nouns (gamester, punster, etc.).
同綴詞:
1.songster [song 歌 + -ster 後綴表示人→]
n.歌手,歌唱家
2.dabster [dab n. 少許; 是…能手 + -ster 後綴表示人]
n.能手,巧手
3.punster [pun n. 雙關語; 俏皮話 + -ster 後綴表示人→]
n. 愛用雙關語的人
4.tapster [tap vt. (從容器等)汲取(液躰)+ -ster 後綴表示人→]
n.酒吧間招待員
5.gamester [game 遊戯,比賽 + -ster 後綴表示人→]
n.賭徒
6.gangster [gang 幫派,團躰;(盜賊等的)一幫 + -ster 後綴表示人→]
n.歹徒;盜匪 (趣記:乾死他)
7.minister [拉丁文mini = samll + -ster 後綴表示人→小人物→傭人;神或國民的個人→]
n.部長,牧師;(古)僕人
8.spinster [spin 紡線 + -ster 後綴表示人 → 以前,未婚女性通常都在家裡紡線織佈,所以,十七世紀之後,過了適婚年齡而未結婚的女子都這麽稱呼。]
n.未婚女性;老処女
9.youngster [young 年輕的 + -ster 後綴表示人→]
n.青年;少年(趣記:淹死他)