farmer
UK: ˈfɑːmə | US: ˈfɑːrmər
n. a person who owns or manages a farm
n. (historical) a person who collects taxes or rents
n. (colloquial) someone who cultivates or produces something in large quantities
farmer = farm<cultivated land> + er<agent noun suffix>
- farm: Derived from Old French ferme ("lease, rent"), from Medieval Latin firma ("fixed payment"), related to Latin firmus ("steady, firm"). Originally referred to leased land for agriculture.
- er: A suffix forming agent nouns (e.g., "baker," "teacher"), from Old English -ere, Proto-Germanic -ārijaz.
Etymology Origin:
The word farmer evolved from the concept of managing leased land (farm) to denote a person engaged in agriculture. The -er suffix solidifies its role as an agent noun, emphasizing occupation. The shift from "tax collector" (medieval usage) to "agricultural worker" reflects societal changes in land ownership and labor.
The farmer wakes up at dawn to tend to his crops.
She became a successful dairy farmer after years of hard work.
In medieval times, a farmer might also collect rents for the lord.
Urban farmers are growing vegetables on rooftops in the city.
He’s a farmer of ideas, always cultivating new projects.