Wailler

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

1. A person who utters prolonged, mournful cries or laments
2. Someone who expresses grief or distress through loud, wailing sounds
3. One who cries out with a sorrowful, wavering voice in lamentation

Etymology: Wailler is a plain agent noun: the verb "wail" with the suffix "-er" added, so it means one who wails, someone who makes long, mournful cries. English has many such pairs, such as "singer" or "mourner," and this one follows the same pattern. The verb itself is the older part of the story. "Wail" probably comes from Old Norse "væla," meaning to lament, and it was likely taken into English through contact with Norse speakers, though the exact route is uncertain. The "-er" ending is a native English suffix that has been used for centuries to turn actions into people or things that perform them.