idolater

The word 'idolater' is a compound formed from the Greek-derived noun 'idol' and the Latin-derived agent suffix. The Greek root eidōlon originally meant a form, shape, or phantom, which evolved in religious contexts to signify a physical image representing a deity. The suffix -ator is a classic Latin agentive ending, specifying a person who performs the associated verb (here, the implied action is 'to worship'). Thus, the literal construction is "one who worships an image." Over time, the meaning expanded beyond religious contexts to describe anyone who shows extreme, often blind, devotion to a person, idea, or object, preserving the core concept of revering a representation.

Structure: idol + ater idol: From Greek eidōlon (image, form, phantom). The core morpheme meaning "image" or "form". ater: A variant of the suffix -ater, from Latin -ator (agent noun suffix), denoting a person who performs an action.