entertainer
UK[ˌentəˈteɪnə(r)]US[ˌentərˈteɪnər]
n
a person whose job is to entertain others, for example by telling jokes, singing, or dancing.
n
a person who invites guests to social events and provides them with food and drink; a host or hostess.
Morpheme Breakdown
enter
tain
er
enter
between, among
tain
hold
er
agent suffix
Etymology
the word 'entertainer' has a rich history tracing back to latin. its core components, 'inter-' (among) and 'tenēre' (to hold), combined in old french as 'entretenir', meaning "to hold together" or "to maintain". this evolved into the english verb 'entertain', which originally meant to maintain or support someone, and later to receive someone as a guest, holding their attention among others. the agent suffix '-er' was then added, forming 'entertainer' to denote a person who holds the attention of an audience among people, a meaning that has crystallized to refer specifically to performers and hosts.
Analysis
Structure: enter (between, among) + tain (hold) + er (agent suffix)
enter- from latin 'inter' meaning "between, among". -tain from latin 'tenēre' meaning "to hold". -er from old english '-ere', an agent noun suffix indicating "one who does something".
Examples
the comedian was a brilliant entertainer who could captivate any audience.
she worked as a professional entertainer on cruise ships for many years.
in his role as the party's entertainer, he ensured all the guests were well-fed and amused.