-our definition

<suffix>

1. A noun suffix denoting an act; a state or quality; as in error, fervor, pallor, candor, etc.

2. A noun suffix denoting an agent or doer; as in auditor, one who hears; donor, one who gives; obligor, elevator. It is correlative to <inv>-ee</inv>. In general -or is appended to words of Latin, and -er to those of English, origin. See -er.

3. A suffix used to form adjectives with comparative sense (major; senior).

(06 Feb 2009)