exterminator
UK[ɪkˈstɜːmɪneɪtə]US[ɪkˈstɜːrmɪneɪtə]
n
a person or company whose job is to kill insects or animals that are considered pests.
n
a substance or device used to destroy pests.
Morpheme Breakdown
ex
termin
ator
ex
out
termin
boundary, end
ator
agent noun suffix
Etymology
the word 'exterminator' has a direct and vivid lineage from latin. it is built upon the verb 'exterminare', which itself combines 'ex-' (meaning "out") and 'terminus' (meaning "boundary or limit"). the literal sense was "to drive beyond the boundaries, to banish". this concrete meaning of expulsion evolved in english to emphasize the finality of the action—to destroy completely, to remove beyond any possible return. the suffix '-ator' was then added to denote an agent, creating a term for one who carries out this act of complete destruction, now specialized for the eradication of pests.
Analysis
Structure: ex (out) + termin (boundary, end) + ator (agent noun suffix)
- ex: latin origin, a prefix meaning "out of, from, thoroughly".
- termin: latin origin, from the root of 'terminus' meaning "boundary, limit, end".
- ator: latin origin, an agent noun suffix indicating "a person or thing that performs an action".
Examples
we had to call an exterminator to deal with the termite infestation.
the exterminator used an eco-friendly spray to eliminate the wasp nest.
she works as an exterminator for a major pest control company.