Guster

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Something, such as a wind or a person, that blows in sudden, strong bursts of air
2. A force or agent that produces brief, violent rushes of wind or breath
3. Anything that gusts, meaning a source of sudden, forceful blasts of air

Etymology: "Gust" entered English as a noun for a sudden blast of wind, borrowed from Old Norse "gustr," which carried the same sense. The Norse word is linked to "gjósa," to gush forth, so the image at its root is of something bursting out all at once, much like the wind it names. "Guster" is built on that noun. The verb "to gust," meaning to blow in sudden blasts, came from the noun, and the suffix "-er," which marks a doer, turns it into a word for whatever gusts. It follows the same pattern as "runner" or "teacher," so the word is a plain formation whose history lies in its parts.