redeemer
UK[rɪˈdiːmə]US[rɪˈdiːmər]
n
a person who redeems someone or something, especially by saving them from sin, error, or evil.
n
(capitalized) a title for jesus christ, referring to his role in saving humanity from sin.
Morpheme Breakdown
redeem
er
redeem
er
Etymology
the word redeemer is built upon the verb 'redeem', which originates from the latin 'redimere', meaning "to buy back" or "to ransom." this latin term itself is a compound of 're-' (back, again) and 'emere' (to buy, take), a root with proto-indo-european ancestry. the agent suffix '-er', of germanic origin, is then attached to form a noun meaning "one who buys back." over time, the concrete financial sense of buying back or ransoming evolved into the broader, more abstract theological and metaphorical meaning of saving or delivering from sin or evil, culminating in its specific application as a title for jesus christ.
Analysis
Structure: redeem + er
- redeem: from latin 'redimere' (to buy back, recover), via old french 'redimer'. functions as the verb root meaning to save, recover, or free.
- er: from old english '-ere', a germanic agent noun suffix. functions to denote a person who performs the action of the verb.
Examples
in christian theology, jesus is often referred to as the redeemer of mankind.
she saw herself as a redeemer of the company's tarnished reputation.
the film's hero emerges as the redeemer, freeing the villagers from the tyrant's rule.