hardener
UK[ˈhɑːdnə(r)]US[ˈhɑːrdnər]
n
A substance that is added to something (such as a paint, glue, or resin) to make it hard or to help it harden more quickly.
Morpheme Breakdown
harden
er
harden
solid, firm, resistant
er
Etymology
The word 'hardener' is a transparent Modern English compound built from native Germanic elements. Its core, 'hard', descends from the Proto-Germanic harduz, itself from the Proto-Indo-European root kar- or ker- meaning "hard". The suffix '-en' is a productive verb-forming element in English, attached to adjectives to mean "to make or become [adjective]". Finally, the agent suffix '-er' is added to the verb 'harden' to create a noun denoting the agent that performs the hardening action. Thus, the word's logic is direct: a "hardener" is literally "that which makes (something) hard," a meaning perfectly preserved in its modern technical usage for chemical curing agents.
Analysis
Structure: harden + er
- harden: From the adjective 'hard' (Old English heard, meaning "solid, firm, resistant") + the verb-forming suffix '-en' (Old English -nian, meaning "to become or make").
- er: An agent noun suffix (Old English -ere), indicating a person or thing that performs the action of the verb.
Examples
You must mix the epoxy resin with its hardener before applying it.
The paint manufacturer recommends using their proprietary hardener for best results.
A chemical hardener was added to the concrete mix to accelerate the setting process.