setter
Meaning
A type of dog trained to stand very still when it finds birds or animals for hunting
A person or thing that sets something
Structure
Usage
The English setter is a popular breed for bird hunting.
He worked as a typesetter for the local newspaper.
The automatic timer is a useful setter for the irrigation system.
Etymology
The word 'setter' is a transparent English compound formed from the verb 'set' and the agentive suffix '-er'. The verb 'set' itself has a complex history, originating from the Old English settian, meaning 'to cause to sit, place, or put', which is related to the verb 'sit'. The '-er' suffix, a common Germanic agent-noun marker, denotes 'one who does or performs an action'. Thus, the literal meaning is 'one who sets'. This logic is clearly seen in its primary modern sense: a hunting dog 'sets' or assumes a fixed, rigid posture upon locating game. The secondary, more general sense of 'a person or thing that sets something' follows the same straightforward morphological pattern.
Analysis
'set' is from Old English settian (to cause to sit, place), of Germanic origin. 'er' is an agent noun-forming suffix from Old English -ere, also of Germanic origin.