-ιέρα

Etymology

Developed in Byzantine Greek, from Italian -iera, originally as part of directly loaned words, then added as a suffix to earlier Greek nouns.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈʝeɾa/ (after β, δ, ζ, ρ)
• IPA^(key): /ˈçeɾa/ (after θ, π, σ, τ, φ)

Suffix

-ιέρα • (-iéra) f

1. added to a noun to denote a collection, container, holder or grouping:

   αλάτι (aláti, “salt”) + ‎-ιέρα (-iéra) → ‎αλατιέρα (alatiéra, “salt shaker”)

   καπέλο (kapélo, “hat”) + ‎-ιέρα (-iéra) → ‎καπελιέρα (kapeliéra, “hat box”)

   φρούτο (froúto, “fruit”) + ‎-ιέρα (-iéra) → ‎φρουτιέρα (froutiéra, “fruit bowl”)

   σκάκι (skáki, “chess”) + ‎-ιέρα (-iéra) → ‎σκακιέρα (skakiéra, “chessboard”)

2. added to a noun to denote a maker or cooker of the first noun:

   τοστ (tost, “toasted sandwich”) + ‎-ιέρα (-iéra) → ‎τοστιέρα (tostiéra, “toasted sandwich maker”)

   ψήστης (psístis, “turnspit”) + ‎-ιέρα (-iéra) → ‎ψηστιέρα (psistiéra, “grill”)

3. added to certain nouns to denote a female worker:

   κάμαρα (kámara, “chamber”) + ‎-ιέρα (-iéra) → ‎καμαριέρα (kamariéra, “chambermaid”)

   τραπέζι (trapézi, “table”) + ‎-ιέρα (-iéra) → ‎τραπεζιέρα (trapeziéra, “waitress”)