-ster

See also ster

English

Etymology

From Middle English -ster, -estere, from Old English -estre (“-ster”, feminine agent suffix), from Proto-Germanic *-istrijǭ, *-astrijǭ, from Proto-Indo-European *-as-tar- (suffix). Cognate with Old High German -astria, Middle Low German -ester, Dutch -ster.

Suffix

-ster

1. Someone who is, or who is associated with, or who does something specified.
2. (humorous, sometimes offensive) A diminutive appended to a person's name.
   • 1992, Russell Baker, "Observer; Pretty Good Read" (review of What It Takes by Richard Ben Cramer), New York Times, 25 Jul.,

     Cramer's exploration of the hearts, minds and souls of America's ambition-crazed Presidential candidates moves ahead at a pace that feels childishly frantic . . . . This is not just because it keeps referring to Senator Robert Dole as "the Bobster."

Usage notes

• Relatively uncommon for agent nouns, compared to more usual -er and -or; primarily used for single-syllable words. Also informal, particularly in contemporary productive use – compare hipster, scenester, bankster; older terms such as barrister do not have this casual connotation, however.
• Sometimes used in proper names, e.g. Napster (file-sharing software), Blockster (Brandon Block, disc jockey).

Synonyms

• -er
• -or

Derived terms

[+] English words suffixed with -ster

Terms derived from "-ster"

barrister chorister dumpster gangster hipster huckster

jokester kinkster mobster oldster pollster prankster punkster

punster quipster rhymester roadster seamster shyster songster

speedster spinster tapster teamster tipster trickster youngster

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Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from Vulgar Latin -istria, which is borrowed from Ancient Greek -ιστρια (-istria).

Suffix

-ster f

1. feminine version of -er

Derived terms

beschermster draagster opvolgster schrijfster speelster spinster voorgangster zeilster