noun suffix meaning "sight, view, spectacular display or instance of," 1824, abstracted from panorama (q.v.), ultimately from Greek horama "sight, spectacle, that which is seen."

word-ending that sometimes distinguish British from American English. In the U.S., the change from -re to -er (to match pronunciation) in words such as fibre, centre, theatre began in late 18c. and became standard there over the next 25 years at the urging of Noah Webster (the 1804 edition of his speller, and especially his 1806 dictionary). The -re spelling, like -our, however, had the authority of Johnson's dictionary behind it and was unmoved in Britain, where it came to be a point of national pride, contra the Yankees.

Despite Webster's efforts, -re was retained in words with -c- or -g- (such as ogre, acre, the latter of which Webster insisted to the end of his days ought to be aker, and it was so printed in editions of the dictionary during his lifetime). The -re spelling generally is more justified by conservative etymology, based on French antecedents. It is met today in the U.S. only in Theatre as an element in the proper names of entertainment showplaces, where it is perhaps felt to inspire a perception of bon ton.

word-forming element in anatomy meaning "rectal, pertaining to or involving the rectum," before vowels rect-, from combining form of rectum.

also -erel, diminutive or deprecatory word-forming element, in some cases from Old French -erel (Modern French -ereau) or -erelle, but mostly used with native stems.

before vowels rhin-, word-forming element of Greek origin meaning "nose, of the nose," from Greek rhino-, combining form of rhis "nose," which is of uncertain origin.

word-forming element meaning "pertaining to Rome or Romans or their language," from combining form of Latin Romanus (see Roman).

word-forming element meaning "pertaining to Russia, Russians, or the Russian language," from combining form of Medieval Latin Russi (plural) "the Russians" (see Russia).

reduced form of -ery.