Clumper

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A large heavy person, often clumsy or awkward in movement
2. An object or implement used in tasks that require a heavy touch
3. Someone or something that makes a loud, thudding noise while moving or operating

Etymology: The word is a plain formation: "clump" with the agentive suffix "-er", so a "clumper" is literally one who clumps, or in its jocular sense, someone who moves and behaves like a clump. The base "clump" is itself a noun for a thick mass or cluster, and it has a sound-symbolic feel, with the "l" and "mp" suggesting heaviness and bulk. The "clump" element is related to German "klumpern", meaning to clod or to make a heavy, clumsy noise, so the clumsy sense of the noun sits comfortably within the older family of the base. The suffix "-er" simply turns an action or a substance into the person performing it, a pattern found in plenty of English words such as "hummer" or "bumbler".