constructor
UK[kənˈstrʌktə(r)]US[kənˈstrʌktər]
n
a person or company that builds large structures such as houses, roads, or bridges
n
a person who creates a complex thing such as a machine, a theory, or a sentence
Morpheme Breakdown
con
struct
or
con
together
struct
build
or
agent noun suffix
Etymology
The word 'constructor' is built upon the Latin verb construere, which itself is a compound of the prefix con- (meaning "together") and the verb struere (meaning "to pile up, build, or assemble"). This literal sense of "building together" passed into English via Old French. The suffix -or, also from Latin, was added to form an agent noun, designating one who performs the action. Thus, the etymological logic moves from the concrete act of assembling materials into a structure to the more abstract concept of one who assembles or creates any complex entity, from physical buildings to theoretical models.
Analysis
Structure: con (together) + struct (build) + or (agent noun suffix)
- con: Latin origin, a prefix meaning "together" or "with".
- struct: Latin origin, from the root of the verb struere, meaning "to build" or "to pile up".
- or: Latin origin, an agent noun suffix indicating "a person or thing that does something".
Examples
The company is a major constructor of commercial skyscrapers.
He is a skilled constructor of intricate model airplanes.
In grammar, a sentence constructor must pay attention to syntax.