Surfer

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈsɜː(ɹ)fə(ɹ)/

Definitions

1. A person who rides on waves in the ocean using a specialized board as a sport or recreational activity
2. An individual who engages in the sport of riding ocean waves while skillfully maneuvering a surfboard for leisure or competition purposes
3. A person skilled in the practice of balancing and gliding on water waves using a board designed for such aquatic activities

Etymology: The word is simply "surf" with the agent suffix "-er," so its interest lies in the path the suffix took. The suffix came into English through Middle English "-ere," which descended from Old English "-ere," a form that itself traces back to Latin "-arius," an ending meaning someone connected with or doing a particular job. Along the way it passed through Old French "-ier," which carried the same sense of occupation into English. The result is a family of occupational nouns, from "baker" to "writer," that all share this worn-down Latin ending. "Surf" is the older half of the compound. It is first recorded in English as a word for the sea breaking on a shore, and it was not attached to the sport until much later. Combining it with "-er" produced a name for a person whose trade was riding that breaking water, a pairing that reads almost like a job title for the ocean itself.

Synonyms: wave rider, boarder, ocean athlete