jailer
UK[ˈdʒeɪlə(r)]US[ˈdʒeɪlər]
n
a person who is in charge of a jail or who guards prisoners.
Morpheme Breakdown
jail
er
jail
a place of confinement
er
agent suffix
Etymology
the word 'jailer' has a literal and transparent construction, directly combining the concept of the place with the agent who oversees it. its core, 'jail', traces back to the latin 'cavea', meaning a hollow or cage, which evolved through vulgar latin and old french into the english term for a place of detention. the suffix '-er', a common germanic agent-forming element, was appended to create a noun specifying the person whose occupation is connected to that place. thus, the modern meaning of 'jailer' logically follows from its components: one who is in charge of a cage or prison.
Analysis
Structure: jail (a place of confinement) + er (agent suffix)
'jail' originates from Old French 'jaiole' or 'gaiole', meaning 'cage, prison', which itself came from Late Latin 'gabiola', a diminutive of Latin 'cavea' (cage, hollow). 'er' is an agent noun suffix from Old English '-ere', of Germanic origin, used to form nouns denoting a person associated with an action or object.
Examples
the jailer made his nightly rounds, checking each cell.
in the old tale, the kind jailer secretly helped the prisoner escape.
the jailer carried a large ring of keys that clinked with every step.