wailer

English

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈweɪlə/

• Audio (Southern England)

  (file)

• (US) enPR: wāʹlər, IPA^(key): /ˈweɪlɚ/

Rhymes: -eɪlə(ɹ)

• Homophone: whaler (in accents with the wine-whine merger)

Etymology 1

From Middle English wayler, weilere; equivalent to wail +‎ -er.

Noun

wailer (plural wailers)

1. One who wails or laments.
2. A professional hired mourner.

   Synonym: (rare) moirologist

Translations

one who wails

• German: Klagender m, Klagende f
• Spanish: gemidor (es) m

a hired mourner

• Azerbaijani: ağıçı, ağıçı qadın
• French: pleureuse (fr) f
• Latin: praefica f
• Portuguese: carpideira (pt)
• Romanian: bocitoare (ro) f (female), bocitor (ro) m (male)
• Russian: пла́кальщица (ru) f (plákalʹščica)
• Spanish: plañidera (es)
• Swedish: gråterska
• Ukrainian: плачка f (plačka)

Etymology 2

wail +‎ -er; see wail (“choose, select”).

Noun

wailer (plural wailers)

1. (mining, historical) A boy employed to pick out stones, pyrites, etc. remaining in the coal after it is screened.

Anagrams

• Lawrie