Gasfitter

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A skilled tradesperson who installs, connects and repairs the gas pipes and appliances in homes and buildings
2. Someone trained to fit and maintain gas lines, boilers and cookers so that they operate safely
3. A worker who specializes in putting in and servicing the gas supply equipment found in domestic and commercial premises

Etymology: "Gasfitter" is a plain compound: "gas" joined to "fitter," a word for someone who fits or fixes things into place. The "fitter" element has long meant a craftsman who assembles and adjusts machinery or parts, which is why the trade name fits so neatly with the work of connecting pipes and appliances. The "gas" element points to the period when domestic and street lighting, and later heating and cooking, were supplied by piped coal gas. Installing those networks required a dedicated trade, and the compound describes exactly that job: someone who fits gas supply into a building. Its meaning has stayed close to its literal parts, so there is little semantic drift to trace.

Synonyms: plumber, pipefitter