People or objects that hold or contain something; things designed to keep something in place.
From 'hold,' Old English 'haldan' meaning 'to keep, possess, grasp.' The agent suffix '-er' creates 'holder' (one who holds), and '-s' makes it plural. The word has been used this way since Old English times.
The word 'holder' is beautifully simple—it's just 'hold' plus '-er' (one who does the action)—but it shows how English builds complex vocabulary by combining tiny pieces, like 'pen holder' or 'cup holder'.
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