propagator
UK[ˈprɒpəɡeɪtə]US[ˈprɑːpəɡeɪtər]
n
a person who spreads and promotes an idea, theory, etc.
n
a device or piece of equipment used for propagating plants.
Morpheme Breakdown
propag
ator
propag
spread, extend
ator
agent suffix
Etymology
the word 'propagator' has its roots in the latin verb 'propagare', meaning to set plants, to extend, or to spread. this verb itself is derived from 'propago', a horticultural term for a layer or shoot used to propagate a plant, which is formed from 'pro-' (forward) and the root of 'pangere' (to fasten, fix). the agent suffix '-ator' was added to denote a person or thing that performs the action. thus, the literal sense of 'one who spreads or extends' evolved from the specific agricultural practice of plant propagation to the broader, abstract meanings of disseminating ideas or biological reproduction.
Analysis
Structure: propag (spread, extend) + ator (agent suffix)
propag is from latin 'propagare' (to propagate, to extend). ator is a latin agent noun suffix meaning 'one who does or performs an action'.
Examples
he was a passionate propagator of democratic ideals.
the gardener used a heated propagator to germinate the seeds.
the internet has become a powerful propagator of both information and misinformation.