Demister

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A heating or blowing device fitted to a vehicle that clears fog and condensation from the glass so the view stays clear
2. An appliance or system that removes moisture from a windscreen or window by warming the air or glass surface
3. Equipment built into a car or building that prevents or eliminates misting on glass by circulating warm air across it

Etymology: Demister is a plain formation: the verb "demist" (to clear fog or condensation from a windscreen) with the agent suffix "-er" added, so it names the thing that does the demisting. The prefix in "demist" is "de-", from Latin "dē-", meaning "down from" or "removing," which gives the sense of taking something away. The "mist" is the familiar English word for a light fog, so the whole term reads literally as "un-mist" or "remover of mist." The suffix has a longer pedigree than the word itself. "-er" descends from Old English "-ere," which traces back through Latin "-ārius," used for people and things connected with a trade or function, and its Old French form "-ier" carried the same sense into English. That ancient ending is what lets a modern car part name itself with a verb plus "-er" in the same way a "baker" or "teacher" is named.

Synonyms: defroster, defogger