auger
UK[ˈɔːɡə]US[ˈɔːɡər]
n
A tool consisting of a twisted metal shaft with a cutting point at one end and a handle at the other, used for boring holes in wood or the ground.
Etymology
The word 'auger' has a fascinating history of folk etymology. It originates from the Old English term 'nafogār', a compound of 'nafu' (nave, the central hub of a wheel) and 'gār' (a spear or borer), thus literally meaning "nave-borer," a tool for piercing the hub of a wheel. Over time, the initial 'n' was lost due to misanalysis; the phrase "a nauger" was reinterpreted as "an auger." This process, known as rebracketing, detached the word from its original components. While its ancient Germanic roots relate to piercing tools, its modern form is a seamless, unsegmentable unit referring specifically to a type of drill.
Analysis
The word 'auger' is a simplex word. Its spelling and form do not allow for segmentation into productive morphemes in modern English.
Examples
The carpenter used an auger to bore a clean hole through the timber.
We need a soil auger to take core samples from the garden.
He carefully turned the auger's handle, spiraling it deeper into the earth.