scratcher
UK[ˈskrætʃə(r)]US[ˈskrætʃər]
n
a person or thing that scratches.
n
a device or tool used for scratching an itch.
n
a lottery ticket that must be scratched to reveal whether a prize has been won.
Morpheme Breakdown
scratch
er
scratch
to scrape
er
agent suffix
Etymology
the word 'scratcher' is a transparent english formation, combining the verb 'scratch' with the agentive suffix '-er'. the verb 'scratch' itself has a complex history, likely arising in middle english as an alteration and blend of the now-obsolete 'cratch' (to scratch) and 'scrat', both of germanic pedigree, possibly related to old high german 'krazzōn'. the core concept has always involved a dragging or scraping action, often with nails or a sharp object. the addition of '-er', a prolific suffix from old english, creates a noun that straightforwardly denotes an entity that performs this scratching action, whether a person, an animal, or a manufactured tool. its application to modern lottery tickets is a metaphorical extension, where the user physically scratches a surface to reveal information.
Analysis
Structure: scratch (to scrape) + er (agent suffix)
scratch (from middle english 'cracchen', likely of germanic origin, meaning to scrape or claw); er (from old english '-ere', an agent noun suffix indicating a person or thing that performs an action).
Examples
the cat is a relentless scratcher and has damaged the furniture.
he bought a back scratcher to reach the itch between his shoulder blades.
she won fifty dollars from a lucky instant scratcher ticket.