settler
UK[ˈsetlə(r)]US[ˈsetlər]
n
a person who goes to live in a new country or region, especially where there are few other people
n
a person who settles an argument or a claim
Morpheme Breakdown
settl
er
settl
to place
er
agent suffix
Etymology
the word 'settler' is formed from the verb 'settle' and the agent suffix '-er'. 'settle' itself originates from old english 'setlan', meaning 'to seat, place, or put in order', which is derived from 'setl', meaning 'a seat'. this old english root is connected to the proto-germanic 'setla-' and ultimately to the proto-indo-european root 'sed-', meaning 'to sit'. the core concept of placing oneself firmly in a location evolved into the meaning of establishing a permanent residence. the '-er' suffix, a common agentive marker in english, transforms the action into a label for the person who performs it, thus a 'settler' is literally 'one who places or establishes themselves'.
Analysis
Structure: settl (to place) + er (agent suffix)
settl - from middle english 'settlen', meaning to place or seat, of old english origin. er - agent noun suffix, from old english '-ere', of germanic origin.
Examples
early settlers faced many hardships as they established farms on the frontier.
the treaty was negotiated by a settler of international disputes.
the museum exhibit tells the story of the first european settlers in the valley.