schoolmaster
UK[ˈskuːlˌmɑːstə]US[ˈskuːlˌmæstər]
n
a man who teaches in a school, especially a private school.
n
a person who is in charge of a school; a headmaster.
Morpheme Breakdown
school
master
school
school, lecture, leisure for learning
master
chief, head, teacher, director
Etymology
the compound 'schoolmaster' is a transparent combination of two english words of ancient lineage. 'school' originates from latin schola, which itself derives from greek skholḗ, initially meaning "leisure, discussion, lecture place," reflecting the classical ideal of learning as a pursuit of free time. 'master' stems from latin magister, meaning "one in control," a comparative form of magis ("more, greater"). the literal compounding of "school" and "master" logically yields the meaning "the man in charge of or teaching at a school," a term that has been in continuous use since the middle english period to denote a male teacher or headteacher.
Analysis
Structure: school + master
- school: from old english scōl, from latin schola (meaning "school, lecture, leisure for learning"). functions as the base noun denoting the institution.
- master: from old english mægester, from latin magister (meaning "chief, head, teacher, director"). functions as the head noun denoting a person in authority.
Examples
the old schoolmaster was respected by all his pupils.
he served as the schoolmaster of the village school for over forty years.
the strict schoolmaster maintained perfect discipline in his classroom.