Shredder

/ˈʃrɛdər/ noun

Definition

A machine or person that tears something into small, thin pieces; someone skilled at breaking things apart or destroying them.

Etymology

From Old English 'schrēade' (strip, shred), combined with the agent suffix '-er' (one who does something). Related to 'shred,' meaning fragment or thin piece.

Kelly Says

A shredder as a machine is only about 50 years old, but 'shred' as a word has been around for centuries! When new technology arrived, English speakers just added '-er' to an old word instead of inventing something new—that's how efficient language can be.

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