Wiper

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈwaɪpɚ/

Definitions

1. A device used to clean surfaces such as windshields can also refer to an individual who erases data electronically or a part of a machine that sweeps away materials
2. An instrument designed to remove moisture or debris from glass surfaces, this term may also denote a person tasked with the removal of data or a mechanical component in a cleaning system
3. Referring to a tool that clears obstructions from various surfaces, it can additionally mean someone responsible for data deletion or a mechanical fixture that enhances cleanliness functionality

Etymology: The word is simply "wipe" plus the agent suffix "-er", meaning "one that wipes." The suffix itself has a long pedigree: it passed from Latin "-arius" through Old French "-ier" and Middle English "-er," and Old English "-ere" was already doing the same job for words like "baker" and "sower" before the Norman influx reshaped the spelling. So the parts are old, even though the combined noun is much younger than the suffix that makes it. Only the verb "wipe" needs a note of its own. It came into English from Old English "wīpian," and the object it describes, a wiping cloth, has been around for centuries before any mechanical device existed. The word "wiper" therefore describes a function first and a machine later, and the machine simply inherited a name built from ordinary parts.

Synonyms: squeegee, cleaner, eraser, scraper, cloth