e'er

¹ American  

[air] / ɛər /

adverb

Chiefly Literary.

1. contraction of ever.

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EER ² American  

abbreviation

1. energy efficiency ratio.

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-eer ³ American  

1. a noun-forming suffix occurring originally in loanwords from French (buccaneer; mutineer; pioneer ) and productive in the formation of English nouns denoting persons who produce, handle, or are otherwise significantly associated with the referent of the base word (auctioneer; engineer; mountaineer; pamphleteer ); now frequently pejorative (profiteer; racketeer ).

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-eer ¹ British  

suffix

1. (forming nouns) indicating a person who is concerned with or who does something specified

   auctioneer

   engineer

   profiteer

   mutineer

2. (forming verbs) to be concerned with something specified

   electioneer

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e'er ² British  

/ ɛə /

adverb

1. poetic a contraction of ever

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Usage

What does -eer mean? The suffix -eer is used to denote nouns, and specifically nouns denoting people who produce, handle, or are otherwise associated with the first element of the word. It is often used in everyday and technical terms.The form -eer comes from Middle French -ier, a suffix denoting personal nouns, which comes from Latin -ārius, with the same sense. To learn more, check out our entry for the suffix -ary.What are variants of -eer?While not a variant of -eer per se, -eer is related to the suffix -aire, also from French, which denotes a person characterized or occupied by the stem, as in millionaire.

Etymology

Origin of -eer

< French, Middle French -ier ( Old French < Latin -ārius -ary as suffix of personal nouns); in some nouns replacing earlier suffixes ( engineer, charioteer ) or the French suffix -aire -aire ( musketeer, volunteer )

Example Sentences

Let’s raise a glass, what e’er you drink,

From Seattle Times • Dec. 29, 2023

The German hymn commonly known as “Lo, how a rose, e’er blooming” has long been a beloved Christmas carol.

From New York Times • Dec. 13, 2021

But I know ye all for merry Wags, and e’er long You shall know me too in another fashion.

From Time • Jul. 6, 2015

You’ll cast off your javelin; it will be travelin’ Farther than e’er in your youth.

From Washington Post • Apr. 22, 2015

Twas he had driven them forth at first, without his killing e’er a one of them, and he himself was ben the castle at the very time.

From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White