eliminator
UK[ɪˈlɪmɪneɪtə]US[ɪˈlɪmɪneɪtər]
n
A person or thing that eliminates or removes something.
n
A device or system designed to remove or get rid of a particular substance or component.
Morpheme Breakdown
e
limin
ator
e
out
limin
threshold
ator
agent suffix
Etymology
The word 'eliminator' is built upon the verb 'eliminate,' which entered English in the mid-16th century from Latin eliminatus, the past participle of eliminare. This Latin verb is a compound of the prefix e- (meaning "out") and limen (meaning "threshold"). The original, literal sense was "to thrust out of doors, to banish beyond the threshold." Over time, the meaning broadened from the physical act of expulsion to the more abstract concept of complete removal or exclusion of any unwanted element. The agent suffix -ator was then appended to create a noun denoting an entity—whether a person, machine, or process—that performs this act of removal.
Analysis
Structure: e (out) + limin (threshold) + ator (agent suffix)
e: A Latin prefix meaning "out of, from, away."
limin: From Latin limen, meaning "threshold." In this context, it implies a boundary or limit.
ator: A Latin agent noun suffix (from -ator), meaning "a person or thing that does something."
Examples
The new air purifier is an effective dust eliminator.
In the tournament, he proved to be a ruthless eliminator of weaker opponents.
This chemical is used as a weed eliminator in organic farming.