-ster

¹

1. a suffix used in forming nouns, often derogatory, referring especially to occupation, habit, or association.

   gamester; songster; trickster.

ster.

²

abbreviation

1. sterling.

-ster

suffix

1. indicating a person who is engaged in a certain activity Compare -stress

   prankster

   songster

2. indicating a person associated with or being something specified

   mobster

   youngster

Word History and Origins

Origin of -ster¹

Middle English; Old English -estre; cognate with Dutch -ster, Middle Low German -( e ) ster

Word History and Origins

Origin of -ster¹

Old English -estre

Example Sentences

Tamara van der Ster, a senior supervisor at AFM, said the review does not mean brokerages will be punished.

From Reuters

The AFM's Van der Ster said that only a small percentage of investors are believed to trade with unregistered foreign brokerages such as Binance.

From Reuters

After Babatayo went missing and her personal tweets were deleted, a campaign to find her launched on social media, with donations made to STER.

From The Guardian

His mentor and NBA Commissioner emeritus David Ster n died two months later.

From Washington Times

Nine out of 10 Fox News viewers say the administration’s immigration recor“d is a ster”ling success.

From Washington Post

When To Use

What does -ster mean?

The form -ster is a suffix that marks an agent noun. Agent nouns are nouns that indicate a person who does an action, and broadly speaking, -ster means "doer." The suffix -ster is similar to -er, another agent noun, but -ster sometimes implies a more negative feeling about the doer. This suffix is used in a wide variety of informal terms.The suffix -ster comes from the Old English -estre, where it denoted female agent nouns. The equivalent for male agent nouns was -er, as mentioned above, which has not developed the negative connotation that the traditionally feminine -ster has.What are variants of -ster?When agent nouns ending in -ster are used to refer to a feminine-gendered element, -ster becomes -stress, as in seamstress (a female seamster). Similar suffixes include -ess, as in stewardess (a female steward), and -euse, as in chanteuse (a female chanteur, or singer).Want to know more? Read our Words That Use -euse and -stress articles.