stripper
UK: ˈstrɪpə | US: ˈstrɪpər
n. a person who removes something (e.g., paint, clothing)
n. a performer who removes clothing as entertainment
n. a tool or chemical used for stripping (e.g., paint stripper)
strip<to remove> + per<agent suffix>
- strip: From Old English striepan ("to plunder") and Middle Dutch strippen ("to strip off"), meaning "to remove a covering or layer."
- per: Agentive suffix (variant of "-er"), indicating "one who does something."
Etymology Origin:
The word stripper emerged in the early 19th century, initially referring to tools or workers who stripped materials (e.g., paint, bark). By the mid-20th century, it gained the sense of a performer removing clothing, influenced by burlesque and vaudeville culture. The logic is consistent: the core idea of "removal" applies to both physical layers and clothing.
The stripper carefully removed layers of old wallpaper.
He worked as a stripper at a nightclub to pay for college.
Use a chemical stripper to clean the wooden surface.
The audience cheered as the stripper performed on stage.
This paint stripper is eco-friendly and non-toxic.