sinker
UK[ˈsɪŋkə]US[ˈsɪŋkər]
n
A weight used to sink a fishing line or net.
n
A pitch in baseball that drops sharply as it nears home plate.
n
(informal) A doughnut or a type of heavy cake.
Morpheme Breakdown
sink
er
sink
descend
er
agent/instrument suffix
Etymology
The word "sinker" is a transparent compound formed within English from the verb "sink" and the agentive suffix "-er." The verb "sink" originates from the Old English sincan, meaning to become submerged or descend, a term inherited from Proto-Germanic sinkwaną. The suffix "-er," also of Germanic descent, is one of the most productive in English for creating nouns that denote an agent or instrument. Therefore, the literal logic of "sinker" is "that which causes something to sink." This straightforward morphological construction first applied to weights for fishing gear, with its meaning later extending metaphorically to a dropping baseball pitch and, informally, to a heavy, dense baked good.
Analysis
Structure: sink (descend) + er (agent/instrument suffix)
- sink: From Old English sincan (to become submerged, descend), of Germanic origin.
- er: A Germanic agent suffix, used in English to form nouns denoting a person or thing that performs an action.
Examples
The angler attached a heavy lead sinker to his line.
The pitcher's best weapon was a devastating sinker that baffled hitters.
After the long hike, he treated himself to a coffee and a jam-filled sinker.