lender
UK[ˈlɛndə]US[ˈlɛndər]
n
A person or an organization that lends money, especially as a business.
Morpheme Breakdown
lend
er
lend
to give something for temporary use
er
agent suffix
Etymology
The word 'lender' is a transparent English compound built from the native verb 'lend' and the agentive suffix '-er'. The verb 'lend' itself originates from the Old English lǣnan, meaning "to grant the temporary use of something," which is derived from the Proto-Germanic root laihnijan, related to concepts of loan and obligation. This Germanic root is further connected to the Proto-Indo-European leikw-, meaning "to leave," subtly linking the act of lending to the idea of something being left with another. The suffix '-er' is one of the most productive in English, directly transforming the action of lending into a label for the entity that performs it, creating a clear and logical agent noun.
Analysis
Structure: lend (to give something for temporary use) + er (agent suffix)
- lend: From Old English lǣnan (to lend), of Germanic origin.
- er: A native English agent suffix, from Old English -ere, of Germanic origin, used to form nouns denoting a person or thing that performs an action.
Examples
The bank is the largest mortgage lender in the country.
Before borrowing, it's wise to compare interest rates from different lenders.
In the story, the money lender was portrayed as a ruthless character.