Parers

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A group of individuals who trim or remove outer layers from fruits or vegetables for preparation
2. Tools or devices designed specifically for cutting away the outer skins or surfaces of produce for culinary use
3. Refers to those who engage in the act of peeling or clipping the outer parts of various items, often for aesthetic or functional purposes

Etymology: The word is simply the plural of "parer", and "parer" is just "pare" with the agent suffix "-er" attached: a parer is one who pares, or peels. What makes the suffix interesting is how old it is. The ending traces back through Latin "-arius", which was a common way of forming nouns for people connected with a task, and it passed into English along two routes, one through Old English "-ere" and another through Old French "-ier", so the English "-er" in words like this is a very long-lived piece of Latin grammar. The base word "pare" reached English from Old French "parer", meaning to trim or prepare, which came from Latin "parare", to make ready. So a parer is, in origin, someone who readies a thing by trimming it, which is a useful way to see how the peeling sense fits the older meaning of making something ready.

Synonyms: peelers, cutters