Assumers

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Individuals who take on responsibility or duty; people who accept or undertake roles, tasks, or obligations; those who adopt or presume certain positions or attitudes
2. Persons who agree to bear liability or control; actors engaging in the acceptance of responsibility or ownership of ideas and responsibilities; those who seize or embrace specific functions or roles
3. Parties who commit themselves to a role or charge; beings who consent to take on duties, risks, or characteristics; persons who undertake or claim certain responsibilities or stances

Etymology: "Assumers" is the plural of "assumer," a word built from the verb "assume" plus the suffix "-er," which marks a person or agent who does the action. The verb itself comes into English from Latin "assumere," meaning "to take up" or "to take to oneself," built from "ad-" (to) and "sumere" (to take). An assumer, then, is literally one who takes something up. The suffix carries the longer history. The "-er" ending descends from Latin "-arius," a suffix forming nouns for people connected with a role or occupation, which passed through Old French "-ier" and reached English as "-er." Because it is a productive suffix, English can attach it to almost any verb, so "assumer" needed no special coinage to exist. The plural simply adds "-s" to the singular.