crofter
UK[ˈkrɒftə(r)]US[ˈkrɔːftər]
n
a person who rents or owns a small piece of land for farming, especially in scotland.
Morpheme Breakdown
croft
er
croft
small farm
er
person who
Etymology
the word 'crofter' is a compound formed from the noun 'croft' and the agent suffix '-er'. 'croft' itself is of old english origin, derived from the old norse word 'kropt', which referred to an enclosed piece of land used for cultivation. this term was particularly adopted into scots and scottish english to denote a small agricultural holding. the suffix '-er', a common germanic agent-noun formative, attaches to nouns to indicate a person associated with that noun. thus, the literal construction 'one associated with a croft' evolved into the modern, specific meaning of a tenant or owner of a small scottish farm, reflecting the historical land tenure system of the scottish highlands and islands.
Analysis
Structure: croft (small farm) + er (person who)
croft (old english, from old norse 'kropt', meaning an enclosed field or small farm) + er (old english agent suffix, denoting a person associated with an action or thing).
Examples
the crofter tended his few sheep on the windswept hillside.
many crofters in the hebrides combine farming with other work to make a living.
the new policy aimed to provide better security of tenure for the local crofters.