different between zapper vs sapper

English

Etymology

zap +? -er

Pronunciation

• (UK) enPR: z?p??(r), IPA^(key): /?zæp.?(?)/
• Rhymes: -æp?(r)

Noun

zapper (plural zappers)

1. (colloquial) A remote control for a television.

   The news is starting on the other channel; hand me the zapper.

2. A device that electrocutes ("zaps") with a high voltage, e.g. a bug zapper.
3. (figuratively, by extension) Anything that exterminates.
   • 1989, Microtimes (volume 6, page 140)

     If games are your life, the choice of a joystick is desperately important. Casual alien-zappers can get by with the cheapest generic Taiwanese clone-stick […]

Translations

French

Etymology

From English zap

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /za.pe/

Verb

zapper

1. to channel-hop, channel surf
2. (figuratively) to dither, change one's opinion rapidly, vacillate
3. to skip over
4. (familiar) to forget

Conjugation

Further reading

• “zapper” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French sappeur (French sapeur). Surface etymology is sap +? -er.

Pronunciation

• enPR: s?p??r
• Rhymes: -æp?(r)

Noun

sapper (plural sappers)

1. One who saps; specifically, one who is employed in working at saps, building and repairing fortifications, and the like. Often known as a combat engineer or military engineer.
2. (Britain, colloquial) An officer or private of the Royal Engineers.

Translations

Anagrams

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