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Where the letter "t" came from in these words? Is it part of the suffix -ter- or a separate suffix? Where the "s" comes from?

Can other words on -ster be formed this way?

Anixx
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The suffix-ster was originally a feminine suffix but in modern English has been used to form various derivative nouns with no specific gender:

Webster (n.):

  • "a weaver," Old English webbestre "a female weaver," from web (q.v.) + fem. suffix -ster. Noah Webster's dictionary first published 1828.

Gangster (n.) :

  • "member of a criminal gang," 1896, American English, from gang (n.) in its criminal sense + -ster.

Hipster

  • 1941, "one who is hip;" from hip (adj.) + -ster. Meaning "low-rise" in reference to pants or skirt is from 1962; so called because they ride on the hips rather than the waist (see hiphuggers).

-ster

Old English -istre, from Proto-Germanic *-istrijon, feminine agent suffix used as the equivalent of masculine -ere (see -er (1)). Also used in Middle English to form nouns of action (meaning "a person who ...") without regard for gender.

The genderless agent noun use apparently was a broader application of the original feminine suffix, beginning in the north of England, but linguists disagree over whether this indicates female domination of weaving and baking trades, as represented in surnames such as Webster, Baxter, Brewster, etc. (though spinster probably carries an originally female ending). Also whitester "one who bleaches cloth." In Modern English, the suffix has been productive in forming derivative nouns (gamester, punster, etc.). (Etymonline)

Community
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    And let's not forget lobster* too. I was about to answer this question :) – Mari-Lou A May 02 '15 at 21:45
  • What is the etymology of the suffix? The English -er comes from Latin -arius. Does -ster also come from Latin or a native one? – Anixx May 02 '15 at 21:46
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    According to Etymonline the etymology is from Proto Germanic -istrijon, see above description. –  May 02 '15 at 21:50
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    Corresponding to Middle Low German -(e)ster, (Middle) Dutch and modern Frisian -ster, it represents a West Germanic type -strjōn-, forming feminine agent nouns, probably a derivative of the Germanic -stro- forming nouns of action, as in Old Norse bakstr (masculine), act of baking, Old High German galstar neuter, incantation. - OED – pazzo May 02 '15 at 21:50
  • @Josh61 Proto-Germanic -ere is borrowed from Latin -arius. So I wonder whether -istrion was also borrowed. – Anixx May 02 '15 at 21:51
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    @Anixx - Borrowed from Vulgar Latin -istria, which is borrowed from Ancient Greek -ιστρια (-istria). (Wiktionary) http://en.m.wiktionary.org/wiki/-ster –  May 02 '15 at 21:59
  • @Josh61 can you add this to the answer please? Evidently, the origin is three PIE suffixes concatenated, the -is-, the -ter- and -ia̯ (-i̯ea̯). – Anixx May 02 '15 at 22:09
  • @Josh61 the dictionary contradicts itself. The English entry says it is inherited (including the Dutch variant), the Dutch entry says it is borrowd from Latin. Also the English section is apparently wrong as it claims it to come fromn PIE -as-tar-, but such suffixes were impossible in PIE (it had no "a" vowel). – Anixx May 02 '15 at 22:17
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    @Anixx - yes, that's why I showed it only as a comment. I'd not add it to the answer. We need a more reliable reference to add further information. –  May 02 '15 at 22:33
  • Is seamster vs seamstress a later coinage? – James McLeod May 02 '15 at 23:21
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    From what etymonline says, seamster was an earlier coinage: , seamstress (n.) : 1640s, *with -ess + seamster* also sempster), from Old English seamestre "sewer, tailor, person whose work is sewing," from seam. Originally indicating a woman, but after a while the fem. ending -estre no longer was felt as such and a new one added. –  May 03 '15 at 07:39