Overcomere

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A person who prevails over an enemy, hardship, or difficulty and emerges victorious
2. One who triumphs against opposing forces or adversity, especially through steadfast endurance and faith
3. Someone who gains the victory in a struggle, mastering whatever challenge or foe stood in the way

Etymology: The word is built from "overcome" plus the agent suffix "-er," which marks a person who does something. "Overcome" goes back to Old English "ofercuman," literally "come over," and the sense of getting the better of an opponent developed from the idea of coming over or across someone. Adding "-er" produced a noun for one who prevails. The "-ere" ending is an older spelling that English used for agent nouns in the Middle English period, when the word appears in religious writing, notably in translations of the Book of Revelation, where it describes those who triumph over evil. The form fell out of use, and "overcomer" with a plain "-er" is the modern spelling. Because the word is a transparent compound, its history is mostly a matter of spelling and usage rather than a dramatic shift in meaning.