singer-guitarist
UK[ˈsɪŋə ɡɪˈtɑːrɪst]US[ˈsɪŋər ɡɪˈtɑːrɪst]
n
A musician who both sings and plays the guitar, especially as a solo performer or as a prominent member of a band.
Morpheme Breakdown
singer
guitarist
singer
one who sings
guitarist
one who plays guitar
Etymology
The compound 'singer-guitarist' is a modern English formation that transparently combines two established agent nouns. 'Singer' originates from the Old English verb singan, of Germanic lineage, related to making musical sounds with the voice. 'Guitarist' is built upon 'guitar', which entered English via Spanish and Arabic from the ancient Greek kithara, a stringed instrument. The suffix '-ist', denoting a practitioner, is of Latin and Greek origin. The compound logically fuses these two performer roles, reflecting a common dual specialization in contemporary popular music, where a single individual often provides both vocal and instrumental accompaniment.
Analysis
Structure: singer (one who sings) + guitarist (one who plays guitar)
singer: From Old English sangere (singer, poet), from singan (to sing) + the agent noun suffix -ere. The root is of Germanic origin.
guitarist: From French guitariste, from guitare (guitar) + the agent noun suffix -iste. The instrument name 'guitar' ultimately derives from Greek kithara.
Examples
The singer-guitarist captivated the audience with a soulful solo performance.
She is the lead singer-guitarist for the acclaimed indie rock band.
The festival lineup features several talented singer-guitarists performing their original songs.