e'er

¹

[ air ]

adverb

, Chiefly Literary.

1. contraction of ever.

EER

²

abbreviation for

1. energy efficiency ratio.

-eer

³

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 ). Compare -ary, -er ², -ier ².

e'er

¹

/ ɛə /

adverb

1. See ever
   poetic.
   a contraction of ever

-eer

²

suffix

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

   engineer

   profiteer

   auctioneer

   mutineer

2. forming verbs to be concerned with something specified

   electioneer

Word History and Origins

Origin of e'er¹

< 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 )

Word History and Origins

Origin of e'er¹

from Old French -ier, from Latin -arius -ary

Example Sentences

I to theeAll hope deny,” she said, “e'en hope; nor mayThose eyes of thine e'er shine, save through their tears.

From Project Gutenberg

I shall die content;Henceforth, with destiny, no more regretThat I e'er saw the light.

From Project Gutenberg

But we know its face now, and it will be our own fault if anything so foul shall e'er be seen again in our midst.

From Project Gutenberg

Who loves his own sweet shadow in the streets / Better than e'er the fairest she he meets.

From Project Gutenberg

And as to learning, I make no qury she can talk you over the Latin grammar as fast as e'er a gentleman here.

From Project Gutenberg