cop-killer
Meaning
A person who murders a police officer.
A weapon, especially a type of bullet, designed to penetrate the body armor worn by police officers.
Structure
Usage
The gang member was convicted as a cop-killer.
Legislation was passed to ban the sale of cop-killer bullets.
The film's antagonist was portrayed as a ruthless cop-killer.
Etymology
The compound noun 'cop-killer' is a modern English formation built from two slang and colloquial elements. The first element, 'cop', is a 19th-century shortening of 'copper', itself derived from the verb 'to cop' meaning 'to seize or catch', referencing a police officer's function. The second element, 'killer', employs the productive agentive suffix '-er' attached to the verb 'kill', of Germanic origin. The compound logically and directly denotes 'one who kills a police officer', with its later application to specialized ammunition being a metaphorical extension highlighting its intended use against police.
Analysis
- cop: Origin: English (slang, from 'copper'). Functional role: Noun base, specifying the target. - killer: Origin: English (from 'kill' + agentive suffix '-er'). Functional role: Noun-forming suffix, indicating the agent performing the action.