sheepherder
UK[ˈʃiːpˌhɜːdə]US[ˈʃiːpˌhɜːrdər]
n
a person whose job is to take care of and move sheep from one place to another, especially in open country.
Morpheme Breakdown
sheep
herd
er
sheep
animal
herd
to gather and care for
er
person who does
Etymology
the word sheepherder is a transparent compound formed from native english elements. the first element, sheep, descends directly from old english scēap, a common germanic term for the animal. the second element, herder, derives from the old english noun heord, meaning a flock, which evolved into the verb herd, meaning to gather and tend livestock. the agent suffix -er, also of old english origin, is added to specify the person performing this action. thus, the term's literal construction as one who herds sheep accurately reflects its modern occupational meaning, distinguishing it from a shepherd, which carries more ancient and pastoral connotations.
Analysis
Structure: sheep (animal) + herd (to gather and care for) + er (person who does)
sheep: from old english scēap, meaning the ruminant animal. it functions as the object of the compound.
herd: from old english heord, meaning a flock or to tend a flock. it functions as the verb stem meaning to care for livestock.
er: from old english -ere, an agent noun suffix indicating a person who performs an action.
Examples
the sheepherder guided the flock through the mountain pass before the storm arrived.
modern sheepherders often use trucks and dogs to manage their large herds.
he worked as a sheepherder in wyoming for over twenty years.