conveyor
UK[kənˈveɪə]US[kənˈveɪər]
n
a person or thing that transports or communicates something.
n
a continuous moving band used for transporting objects from one place to another, typically in a factory.
Morpheme Breakdown
con
vey
or
con
together
vey
to carry
or
agent suffix
Etymology
the word 'conveyor' is built upon the verb 'convey', which entered english from old french 'conveier'. this french term derives from vulgar latin 'conviare', meaning 'to escort', itself a combination of latin 'com-' (together) and 'via' (way, road). the core concept is of bringing things together along a path. the suffix '-or', a common agent-noun ending in latin, was added to form a noun denoting a person or mechanism that performs the action of conveying. thus, the literal sense of "one who carries things together along a path" evolved into the modern meanings of a person who communicates or a mechanical apparatus for continuous transport.
Analysis
Structure: con (together) + vey (to carry) + or (agent suffix)
con- (from latin 'cum', meaning 'together', a prefix); -vey- (from latin 'via', related to 'vehere' meaning 'to carry', a bound root); -or (from latin '-or', a suffix forming agent nouns indicating a person or thing that performs an action).
Examples
the conveyor belt moved the assembled parts to the packaging station.
he acted as a conveyor of sensitive information between the two departments.
airports use a complex system of conveyors to handle luggage.