Clapper

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈklæpɚ/

Definitions

1. A hinged piece inside a bell that swings to strike the interior surface and produce sound
2. A striking mechanism within a bell that moves to impact the inner surface and create a ringing sound
3. A small device or component that produces a sharp sound when struck, often used in musical instruments or signaling equipment

Etymology: The clapper of a bell is named for the sound it makes, though the word itself is built from a very ordinary tool. "Clap" means to strike together with a sharp sound, and the "-er" ending marks the thing that does the clapping, so the clapper is literally the striker. Its root is the same as the verb's: English "clap" traces back to an ancient Germanic imitation of a sharp, loud blow. The suffix has a longer ancestry than the word it sits on. The "-er" ending descends through Old English "-ere" and Middle English "-er" from Latin "-arius", a suffix for people or things connected with a task, which entered Germanic languages early and was later used freely in English to name tools and agents.

Synonyms: striker, bell ringer, tapper, noisemaker