dunker
UK[ˈdʌŋkə]US[ˈdʌŋkər]
n
a person who dunks something, especially a basketball player who scores by dunking the ball.
n
a type of pastry, especially a donut, designed to be dipped into a beverage.
Morpheme Breakdown
dunk
er
dunk
to dip
er
agent suffix
Etymology
the word 'dunker' is a transparent agent noun formation from the verb 'dunk'. the verb 'dunk' entered american english in the early 20th century from pennsylvania german 'dunke', meaning to dip, which itself is related to the standard german verb 'tunken'. this germanic root carries the core sense of immersion. the suffix '-er', a prolific agent-forming suffix from old english, is attached to indicate a person or thing that performs the action. thus, a 'dunker' literally means 'one who dunks', a logic perfectly preserved in its two modern senses: an athlete who plunges a basketball through a hoop or a pastry intended for dipping into coffee.
Analysis
Structure: dunk (to dip) + er (agent suffix)
dunk (from pennsylvania german 'dunke', meaning to dip, of germanic origin); er (agent noun suffix, from old english '-ere', of germanic origin).
Examples
the rookie became an instant fan favorite with his prowess as a powerful dunker.
she ordered a chocolate dunker to go with her morning latte.
the coach emphasized footwork for the young dunker to avoid offensive fouls.