hang-glider
UK[ˈhæŋ ˌɡlaɪdə]US[ˈhæŋ ˌɡlaɪdər]
n
a very light aircraft without an engine, consisting of a frame covered in cloth, from which the pilot hangs in a harness
Morpheme Breakdown
hang
glide
er
hang
glide
er
Etymology
the term 'hang-glider' is a modern english compound, transparently describing the object's function. the first element, 'hang', directly references the pilot's suspended position beneath the wing. the second element, 'glider', originates from the verb 'glide', which has germanic roots related to smooth, effortless motion through air or water. the suffix '-er' agentively denotes the object itself as the thing that glides. thus, the word's literal construction—"a thing that glides with one hanging from it"—perfectly captures its operational essence.
Analysis
Structure: hang + glide + er
hang (from old english hōn, meaning to suspend); glide (from old english glīdan, meaning to move smoothly and quietly); er (from old english -ere, an agent noun suffix indicating a person or thing that performs an action).
Examples
he spent the afternoon flying his hang-glider over the coastal cliffs.
launching a hang-glider requires a running start from a high slope.
the development of the flexible wing was a key innovation in hang-glider design.