Derivational suffix (from earlier -re) forming the comp. of adjs.: (a) Without mutation of the root vowel: hard-er [OE heard-ra], bōld-er, bright-er, kēn-er, hōlī-er, lǒvelok-er, clēr-er, ǧentil-er, etc.; (b) with mutation of the root vowel and later remodeling on the positive: leng-er [OE leng-ra] and lō̆ng-er; eld-er, ild-re, uld-re [OE eld-ra, yld-ra] and ōld-er; ying-er and yǒng-er [OE ȝinȝ-ra, ȝunȝ-ra]; bradd-er [OE brǣd-ra] and brōd-er; (c) with shortening of the long root vowel and later remodeling on the positive: whitt-er [OE hwīt-ra] and whīt-er; depp-er [OE dēop-ra] and dēp-er; grett-er and grēt-er; hatt-er [OE hāt-ra] and hō̆t-er; (d) with preservation of the original short vowel and later remodeling on the positive: latt-er [OE læt-ra] and lāt-er; rā̆th-er earlier [OE ræþ-ra].