-tor

Derived from Vulgar Latin -torius, -torium.

-tor m (indefinite plural -torë, definite singular -tori, feminine equivalent -tore)

1. -er

• -toru
• -ãtor
• -ãtoru

From Vulgar Latin -torius, -torium, and feminine -toari, toare from Vulgar Latin -toria, -toriam, both from Latin -tor. Ultimately from Proto-Italic *-tōr, from Proto-Indo-European *-tōr < *-tor-s.

• IPA^(key): [tor]

-tor (plural -tori, feminine -toari/-toare)

1. -er (used to form nouns from verbs)

• (Nuuk) IPA^(key): /-tur/, [-tɔʁ]

-tor (v-v^?, additive^?, VTV → VsV^?)

1. [verb]s bit by bit, continuously

• -sor (in forms derived from primarily third conjugation verbs with stems ending in -t-, -d-, -rg-, -ll-, or -rr-.)

From Proto-Italic *-tōr, from Proto-Indo-European *-tōr < *-tor-s. The -ō- from the nominative singular form was extended to all other forms by analogy; then word-final -ōr was shortened to -or by regular Latin sound laws, producing the Classical Latin paradigm with short -o- in the nominative singular and long -ō- elsewhere.^[1] Cognate to Sanskrit -तृ (-tṛ) (nominative singular -ता m sg (-tā)) and Ancient Greek -τωρ (-tōr), as well as -τήρ (-tḗr) from a separate ablaut *-tḗr. Compare Latin -trum (instrumental suffix), from Proto-Indo-European *-tr-o-m (instrumental suffix).

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [tɔr]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [t̪or]

-tor m (genitive -tōris, feminine -trīx); third declension

1. -er; used to form masculine agent nouns from verbs

This suffix is one of many (including -tus, -tor, -tiō, -tim, -tō, -tūra) that all use the same verb stem as their base (the stem of the supine, perfect passive participle, and/or future active participle, found in the verb's fourth principal part). This stem is conventionally considered to end in -t- (or for some verbs, -s-), which would imply analyzing the suffixes as -us, -or, -io, -im, etc. However, from an etymological perspective it is more accurate to identify -t-/-s- as the initial consonant of these suffixes.

• Most 1st conjugation verbs attach -t- after the theme vowel -ā-: e.g. amō, amātor, but a few form this principal part differently: e.g. secō > sectiō. Similarly, many 4th conjugation verbs use -ī-t-, but some use other formations, e.g. saliō > salto.
• 2nd conjugation verbs are less consistent. Many use -i-t- (moneō, monitor); some attach -t- after the final consonant of the root (doceō > doctor); a considerable number lack this principal part. Monosyllabic stems use -ē-t-: ex-pleō (stem plē-) > explētiō.
• Many 3rd conjugation verbs (and some 1st, 2nd and 4th) attach -t- directly after a consonant, which can cause complex changes. When -t- is placed after -t- or -d-, the consonants merge to -ss- (simplified to -s- if not preceded by short vowel): metō > messor, caedo > caesūra. Occasionally -s- is used after other consonants: curro > cursim, mergo > mersō. Before -t-, -b- -g- are regularly devoiced to -p- -c-: scrībō > scrīptor; frīgō > frīctus. The addition of -t- can be accompanied by various other changes, including vowel shortening, vowel lengthening, consonant insertion, or consonant deletion; see -tus for more information.

The corresponding feminine suffix is -trīx: e.g. cantor (“male singer”) is paired with cantrīx (“female singer”), from canō (“I sing”). As with other Latin nouns for people, the masculine is traditionally used generically (for example, in general statements or in contexts where gender is unspecified) as well as for males. Masculine and feminine agent nouns are sometimes used appositively, or as adjectives, and can be used in this context even with inanimate nouns (in which case they agree with the grammatical gender of the noun).

The suffix -tor is occasionally added to a noun to create an agent noun, often in the extended form -ātor, as if from a first-conjugation verb.

Examples:

gladiātor (“gladiator”), from gladius (“sword”)

malleātor (“hammerer”), from malleus (“hammer”)

Third-declension noun.

• -ātor
• -tōrium
• -tōrius
• -turiō

• -or
• -trīx (“-ess, -trix”) (used to form a female agent noun)

• IPA^(key): /tor/
• Hyphenation: -tor

Inherited from Latin -tor (through a Vulgar Latin form *-torius, and feminine -toare from *-toria). With some neologisms based on French -teur. Ultimately from Proto-Italic *-tōr, from Proto-Indo-European *-tōr < *-tor-s.

• -ător

-tor m or n (feminine singular -toare, masculine plural -tori, feminine and neuter plural -toare)

1. -er (used to form nouns from verbs)

   băutor ― drinker

   călător ― traveler

   făcător ― maker

Inherited from Latin -tōrius.

• -ător

-tor m or n (feminine singular -toare, masculine plural -tori, feminine and neuter plural -toare)

1. -ing (used to form adjectives from verbs)

   uimitor ― amazing

   strălucitor ― shining

• -ar