Jolter

Part of speech: verb, noun

Pronunciation: /ˈd͡ʒɒltə/

Definitions

1. A person or thing that causes sudden jolts or shakes ; a device that produces abrupt, jerky movements for mechanical or other purposes
2. An individual inducing sharp, unexpected movements ; an apparatus designed to create shaking or jolting action
3. Someone or something that delivers quick, rough shaking motions ; a mechanism used to generate jolting or vibrating effects

Etymology: "Jolter" is a plain formation: the verb "jolt" with the agent suffix "-er," meaning one who or that which jolts. The suffix comes down from Old English "-ere," itself tracing back through Proto-Germanic and Proto-Italic to a Latin "-arius," which English later also received through Old French "-ier." So the ending is an old, well-worn piece of the language, while "jolt" is the newer element that gives the word its meaning. The verb "jolt" is the base of everything here. It describes a sharp, sudden jerk, and the noun "jolter" in its first sense names a person who causes such jerks. The second sense, an apparatus built to shake or jar, is the more mechanical extension of the same idea: a machine that performs the jolting action itself.