all-nighter

The word is a modern English compound formed from native Germanic elements. The adjective "all" intensifies the noun "night" to specify an entire, continuous night. The agent suffix "-er" is then appended, shifting the meaning from the period itself to an event characterized by that period or, informally, to a person who endures it. This construction follows a straightforward and productive pattern in English (e.g., "all-day," "all-star") to create colloquial terms for extended activities. Its specific association with intensive study or work sessions emerged in 20th-century academic and professional slang.

Structure: all + night + er - all: From Old English eall, meaning "entire, whole, every." Functions as an adjective/adverb in the compound. - night: From Old English niht, meaning "the dark part of the day." Functions as a noun in the compound. - er: From Old English -ere, an agent noun suffix indicating "a person or thing associated with an action." Functions as a nominalizing suffix.