leaker
UK[ˈliːkə]US[ˈliːkər]
n
A person who discloses confidential information to the public, especially from within an organization.
n
A container, pipe, joint, etc., that has a hole or crack allowing its contents to escape.
Morpheme Breakdown
leak
er
leak
to let fluid out
er
agent suffix
Etymology
The word "leaker" is a transparent modern English compound, built upon the native verb "leak". The verb itself has a robust Germanic lineage, tracing back to the Old Norse leka, meaning "to drip or leak", which is related to similar words in Dutch (leken) and German (lechen). The core, concrete meaning of a physical substance escaping through an opening remains central. The agent suffix "-er", of Proto-Germanic origin, is one of the most productive in English for forming nouns indicating an actor. Thus, a "leaker" literally means "one who leaks". The modern, prevalent sense of "a person who discloses secrets" is a powerful metaphorical extension from the 20th century, visualizing confidential information as a fluid that escapes from a sealed container (an organization) through a person acting as the crack or hole.
Analysis
Structure: leak (to let fluid out) + er (agent suffix)
- leak: From Middle English leken, of Old Norse origin (leka), meaning "to drip, leak". Its functional role is the core verb root.
- er: A native English agent noun suffix from Old English -ere, derived from Proto-Germanic. Its role is to form a noun denoting a person or thing that performs the action of the verb.
Examples
The government is trying to identify the leaker who provided the documents to the press.
We need to replace that old pipe; it's become a serious leaker.
The journalist protected the identity of her confidential leaker.