1
a
: one that works especially at manual or industrial labor or with a particular material
—often used in combination
2
: any of the sexually underdeveloped and usually sterile members of a colony of social ants, bees, wasps, or termites that perform most of the labor and protective duties of the colony
Synonyms
Example Sentences
The company is planning to hire 200 workers.
The average worker earned $1,000 more this year.
If management doesn’t make the changes, the workers will go on strike.
They are both hard workers.
Recent Examples on the Web
By Monday, however, BuzzFeed writer Chris Stokel-Walker located the man behind the memes—Pablo Xavier, a 31-year-old construction worker living in the Chicago area who declined to offer his last name for fear of potential backlash.
—
Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 28 Mar. 2023
The best time to do this is in late fall after most worker wasps have died off or in early spring before nests become active.
—Rebecca Straus, Good Housekeeping, 28 Mar. 2023
The measure’s petitioners suggest a civilian worker in a separate office be able to accept a permit application.
—oregonlive, 27 Mar. 2023
Both parents were musical, with his mother playing piano for the church choir and his father, an aerospace worker, singing in it.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 27 Mar. 2023
Ruben, a food-delivery worker, was taking a break Sunday when a crowd outside the New York County Supreme Court caught his eye.
—Amy Zimmerman, Vulture, 26 Mar. 2023
The South is generally the worst part of the US to be an aspiring remote worker — and the worst place of all is Bradenton, near Tampa in Florida, where less than 3% of jobs posted have that option.
—Alex Tanzi, Fortune, 25 Mar. 2023
Butler remembered a time on another site when a worker cut himself on the arm with a circular saw.
—Jean Marbella, Baltimore Sun, 24 Mar. 2023
The Black worker, Milferd McGhee, found another noose in January 2020 at his work site, and a fifth appeared in December 2020, the EEOC said.
—Kevin Crowley, Fortune, 3 Mar. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word ‘worker.’ Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Time Traveler
The first known use of worker was
in the 14th century
Dictionary Entries Near worker
Cite this Entry
“Worker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/worker. Accessed 13 Apr. 2023.
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Last Updated:
30 Mar 2023
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
What Noel Beasley is describing is such an affront to workers I wanted to make sure everyone concerned about workers ‘rights reads it. ❋ Unknown (2009)
WAGE & HOUR ENFORCEMENT DROPS, WORKERS CHEATED ‘; yahooBuzzArticleSummary =’ Enforcement of wage-and-hour laws, to ensure workers get at least the minimum wage and the overtime pay they deserve, has dropped drastically under the GOP Bush government, impartial investigators and a low-income workers ‘advocate told Congress. ❋ Unknown (2008)
VIEW FAVORITES yahooBuzzArticleHeadline = ‘Construction Companies Use ‘Independent Contractor’ Dodge Costly to Workers, States, Firms ‘; yahooBuzzArticleSummary =’ The «independent contractor» dodge — a tactic unscrupulous construction companies use to avoid treating their workers legally, paying taxes and following workers ‘comp and other laws — is costly to workers, governments and even other construction firms, two witnesses told the House ❋ Unknown (2007)
Pundits still dumbfounded, even as workers ‘share of gains hits 40-year low yahooBuzzArticleHeadline =’ Pundits still dumbfounded, even as workers ‘share of gains hits 40-year low’; yahooBuzzArticleSummary = ‘Article: Commentators look at today’s Wall Street Journal headline blaring that «Corporate Pretax Profits Jump 14.4% — Strongest Gain Since 1992» and wonder: why ordinary Americans aren’t jumping with joy? ❋ Unknown (2006)
He joined forces with Comrades Jay Naidoo, Johnny Makhathini, Kenneth Dladla, Theo Nene, Pat Honn and many others and began to organise workers into general workers¹ unions. ❋ Unknown (2004)
How workers are affected depends on work conditions, on the fairness of wages, on workers rights, and on how much respect and equality exists between workers and bosses. ❋ Unknown (1999)
In response to this situation, researchers at the Universidad Autnoma Metropolitana in Mexico City developed and tested participatory techniques that enable workers in developing countries to measure for themselves occupational hazards and their impact on workers health. ❋ Unknown (1992)
Plus stories about how the management of a bigger textile company in Okhla got rid of permanent workers by making use of repression and by taking advantage of the workers� trust in their official representatives.
The Iraqi military has surrounded striking oil workers in southern Iraq, labor organizers report, as the workers� remained defiant in their action to block strategic pipelines near Basra.
•workers struggles can and must be generalized, drawing in other workers around their own demands;
Mr. Johnson said the term workers were hired on a short-term basis. ❋ RENATA D (2011)
Armed with that information the label workers later revealed themselves to the site’s admin, along with a threat — close down or else. ❋ Unknown (2010)
There should be no exemptions for small business because insuring yourself and your workers is the right thing to do. ❋ Unknown (2009)
The safety of the workers is the prime object for the companies. ❋ Unknown (2009)
At Domtar, we feel very strongly that establishing and maintaining a meaningful partnership with our workers is absolutely essential to the corporation’s future well-being. ❋ Unknown (1994)
My «No-worker;» is here today an I am behind in my [work] as [usual].
Look at that no-worker, he just [dressed] for work. ❋ CorporateAmerica (2008)
He just thought [about it] and it happened, he must be [a will] [worker]. ❋ Disgonnahurt (2008)
[Peterson] is a most annoying worker. He [shows] up at 10, [leaves] at 4 and takes a 2-hour lunchbreak. ❋ Jonathan FeBland (2008)
[Shut up] you worker!
Workers are [the worst] [kind of] people! ❋ Gemmy (2004)
Off work for more than [six] months, his was a [clear] and [sadly], preventable case of Workers Decompensation. ❋ Dr Bunnygirl (2018)
Man 1: «[Betsy] just took 12 [weeks] off from her job!»
Man 2: «She must be a [government worker].» ❋ PCUTroublemaker (2013)
She/He has been through a lot. They have over come all of their obstacles and they always lend a [helping hand] to those who need them. He/she is a [light worker], he/she helps [heal] others everywhere they go. ❋ Vagabond (2020)
Subway Mike was a skillful [lush-worker], so well known to the subway squad, spent half of his time doing the [five-twenty-nine] for [jostling]. ❋ Brasswater (2013)
I think [I seen] him at [the dope] house, he is a [dope worker] there. ❋ Ole Wes (2018)
’10 [council workers] sent to fix a small [pothole] in the road whilst only 2 of the workers do the duty whilst the rest [go down] to the local pub.’ ❋ Whenssmokebrah (2013)
a worker who casts molten metal into finished products
a worker who performs the last step in a manufacturing process
a person who contributes to the fulfillment of a need or furtherance of an effort or purpose
a worker who rouses wild game from under cover for a hunter
someone who pastes up bills or placards on walls or billboards
a worker who bleaches (cloth or flour etc.)
someone who drives or rides in a boat
someone whose work is driving carts
a worker whose job is to make charcoal
a person who is employed to collect payments (as for rent or taxes)
a person who separates and straightens the fibers of cotton or wool
a worker who husks corn
someone who drives animals that pull a vehicle
a person who is qualified and ready to work
a worker who is hired to perform a job
a writer or artist who sells services to different employers without a long-term contract with any of them
a worker who guts things (fish or buildings or cars etc.)
a worker who hangs something
(when gas was used for streetlights) a person who lights and extinguishes streetlights
a worker who melts substances (metal or wax etc.)
a person who holds a second job (usually after hours)
a worker who uses a mop to clean a surface
someone who muzzles animals
a worker who attaches something by nailing it
a worker who oils engines or machinery
someone who works less than the customary or standard time
a worker who peels the skins from fruits and vegetables
a worker who puts or sets seeds or seedlings into the ground
someone who plies a trade
someone who processes things (foods or photographs or applicants etc.)
a worker who thins out and trims trees and shrubs
someone who pulls or tugs or drags in an effort to move something
a man who works in a quarry
a worker who sorts rags and old clothing for new uses (as in papermaking)
someone who works (or provides workers) during a strike
a worker who uses a scrub brush to clean a surface (usually a floor or deck)
a worker who finds employment only in certain seasons
a person working in the service of another (especially in the household)
a worker who removes shells (as of peas or oysters)
a worker who puts things (as books) on shelves
a worker who shingles roofs
a worker who shovels
a worker who uses a skid to move logs
a worker who has acquired special skills
someone who works as hard as a slave
a worker who joins or mends with solder
a worker who splices ropes together by interweaving strands
a worker who splits fish and removes the backbone
a worker who stains (wood or fabric)
a worker who makes or applies stems for artificial flowers
a worker who strings
a worker who strips the stems from moistened tobacco leaves and binds the leaves together into books
a worker who fastens things by tacking them (as with tacks or by spotwelding)
a worker who uses a tap to cut screw threads
a worker who teases wool
a worker (especially in an office) hired on a temporary basis
one who works strenuously
a person who twists silk or rayon filaments into a thread or yarn
a worker who ties something
a worker who lays tile
a worker who cuts tops off (of trees or vegetables etc.)
a worker who makes or adds the top to something
a worker who belongs to a trade union
someone who intertwines (e.g. threads) or forms something by twisting or interlacing
a person who performs voluntary work
usually in combination: person in charge of or employed at a particular thing
someone who washes things for a living
a worker who winds (e.g., a winch or clock or other mechanism)
a worker who wipes
a young woman who is employed
a fellow worker
an assistant to a bishop
a person who joins with another in carrying out some plan (especially an unethical or illegal plan)
someone who acts as an assistant
a skilled worker who can live in underwater installations and participate in scientific research
a worker skilled in making armor or arms
someone who waits on or tends to or attends to the needs of another
someone who operates an aircraft
someone who bakes bread or cake
someone who flies a balloon
an employee who mixes and serves alcoholic drinks at a bar
(baseball) a boy who takes care of bats and other baseball equipment
a valet or personal maid
a quarry worker who splits off blocks of stone
a person who slaughters or dresses meat for market
a young man acting as a servant on a ship
someone skilled in penmanship
a volunteer worker in a hospital
someone paddling a canoe
the driver of a chariot
an employee who performs clerical work (e.g., keeps records or accounts)
a man who drives a coach (or carriage)
a skilled worker who coins or stamps money
an employee whose first loyalty is to the company rather than to fellow workers
the person who collects fares on a public conveyance
someone who cooks food
someone employed to make written copies of documents and manuscripts
a person employed to write advertising or publicity copy
a skilled worker who practices some trade or handicraft
a member of a work crew
a member of a flight crew
someone whose work is cutting (as e.g. cutting cloth for garments)
someone employed to make deliveries
an assistant to a dentist
someone trained to provide preventive dental service (cleaning teeth or taking x-rays)
an assistant with power to act when his superior is absent
someone employed to provide service in a dining room
employee of a transportation company who controls the departures of vehicles according to weather conditions and in the interest of efficient service
an employee of a municipal pound who is hired to round up stray dogs and cats
a servant who is paid to perform menial tasks around the household
a skilled worker who draws plans of buildings or machines
a wardrobe assistant for an actor
someone whose job is to dye cloth
a person responsible for the editorial aspects of publication; the person who determines the final content of a text (especially of a newspaper or magazine)
a person who installs or repairs electrical or telephone lines
a skilled worker who can inscribe designs or writing onto a surface by carving or etching
a worker skilled in giving beauty treatments (manicures and facials etc.)
someone who plans social events as a profession (usually for government or corporate officials)
someone who makes progress easier
a servant employed to do a variety of jobs
a person attached to the household of a high official (as a pope or bishop) who renders service in return for support
a man who operates a ferry
someone whose occupation is catching fish
an employee who is reassigned from job to job as needed
an employee of a retail store who supervises sales personnel and helps with customer problems
a young girl who carries flowers in a (wedding) procession
a worker who makes metal castings
someone who makes frames (as for pictures)
someone whose job is to fumigate
a skilled worker who coats iron or steel with zinc
someone employed to work in a garden
someone employed by a gas company
someone whose occupation is to apply an overlay of gold or gilt
a female assistant who has a range of duties
someone who gathers something in small pieces (e.g. information) slowly and carefully
an employee whose duties include running errands
a (Venetian) boatman who propels a gondola
worker who moves the camera around while a film or television show is being made
someone who launches harpoons
one whose job it is to execute unpleasant tasks for a superior
a newly hired employee
employee hired for domestic or farm work (often used in the singular to refer to several employees collectively)
a person who works only for money
someone who hunts game
someone who provides an index
a person used by another to gain an end
an employee who holds a regular job
an assistant (often the father of the soon-to-be-born child) who provides support for a woman in labor by encouraging her to use techniques learned in childbirth-preparation classes
a male servant (especially a footman)
a person who makes laminates (especially plastic laminates)
a driver who urges the animals on with lashes of a whip
an employee who works on an assembly line
a worker in a livery stable
a person whose occupation is catching lobsters
a worker in charge of a lock (on a canal)
an assistant or second-in-command to a chief (especially in a crime syndicate)
the driver and keeper of an elephant
the chief steward or butler of a great household
a woman who wears clothes to display fashions
a man servant
a skilled worker who mends or repairs things
a domestic servant
a person who poses for a photographer or painter or sculptor
one whose business is the management of funerals
a skilled worker who mounts pictures or jewels etc.
someone who rows a boat
a young man who is employed to do odd jobs in a business office
a worker who holds or is invested with an office
a worker who produces or sells petroleum
a worker who makes glasses for remedying defects of vision
an employee who sacrifices his own individuality for the good of an organization
a worker who is employed to cover objects with paint
a trained worker who is not a member of a profession but who assists a professional
a skilled worker who perfects something
someone who practices phlebotomy
someone who plaits (hair or fabric etc.)
a worker skilled in applying plaster
a skilled worker who coats articles with a film of metal (usually silver or gold)
a volunteer who records (usually by telephone) contributions pledged in a fund drive
a railroad employee who assists passengers (especially on sleeping cars)
a worker in an inn or public house who serves customers and does various chores
someone who carries explosives (as from the magazine to the guns on board a warship)
a worker at a power station
someone whose occupation is printing
the person who operates the projector in a movie house
someone who assists a performer by providing the next words of a forgotten speech
someone who holds a government position (either by election or appointment)
someone who propels a boat with a pole
one whose work is to refine a specific thing
a skilled worker who is employed to restore or refinish buildings or antique furniture
a person employed to keep a record of the owners of stocks and bonds issued by the company
a person who goes from house to house collecting rents for the owner
the most helpful assistant
a worker who inserts and hammers rivets
a worker who routes shipments for distribution and delivery
any member of a ship’s crew
a person employed to represent a business and to sell its merchandise (as to customers in a store or to customers who are visited)
a person with advertising boards hanging from the shoulders
a kitchen servant employed to do menial tasks (especially washing)
an assistant who handles correspondence and clerical work for a boss or an organization
a girl who is a servant
someone who serves in the armed forces; a member of a military force
a skilled worker who shears the wool off of sheep or other animals
(Church of England) an assistant to the churchwarden; collects offerings of money in the church
a person who prepares or deals in animal skins
someone who works metal (especially by hammering it when it is hot and malleable)
someone who works at something specified
a worker employed to apply spots (as markers or identifiers)
a worker employed at a dry-cleaning establishment to remove spots
an employee who is a member of a staff of workers (especially a member of the staff that works for the President of the United States)
an employee of a theater who performs work involved in putting on a theatrical production
a garmentmaker who performs the finishing steps
an employee whose job is to take inventory
someone who cuts or carves stone
an assistant subject to the authority or control of another
an employee who sweeps (floors or streets etc.)
the driver of a team of horses doing hauling
someone whose occupation involves training in a specific technical process
someone employed to collect tolls
an employee of a railroad
someone who tunes pianos
one employed to control water supply by turning water mains on and off
a lathe operator
someone whose occupation is hunting turtles
someone paid to operate a typewriter
member of a vigilance committee
someone who regulates the tone of organ pipes
someone who vulcanizes rubber to improve its strength and resiliency
the driver of a wagon
a worker who papers walls
operates industrial washing machine
a working woman who takes in washing
an assistant who supplies drinking water
huntsman’s assistant in managing the hounds
someone who washes windows
a worker who installs and repairs electric wiring
an employee who performs manual or industrial labor
work·er
(wûr′kər)
n.
1.
a. One who works at a particular occupation or activity: an office worker.
b. One who does manual or industrial labor.
2. A member of the working class.
3. A member of a colony of social insects such as ants, bees, wasps, or termites, usually a sterile or sexually immature female but in termites an individual of either sex, that performs specialized work such as building the nest, collecting and storing food, and feeding other members of the colony.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
worker
(ˈwɜːkə)
n
1. (Industrial Relations & HR Terms) a person or thing that works, usually at a specific job: a good worker; a research worker.
2. (Industrial Relations & HR Terms) an employee in an organization, as opposed to an employer or manager
3. (Industrial Relations & HR Terms) a manual labourer or other employee working in a manufacturing or other industry
4. (Sociology) any other member of the working class
5. (Zoology) a sterile female member of a colony of bees, ants, or wasps that forages for food, cares for the larvae, etc
ˈworkerless adj
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
work•er
(ˈwɜr kər)
n.
1. a person or thing that works.
2. a laborer or employee: steel workers.
3. a member of a caste of sexually underdeveloped, nonreproductive bees, ants, wasps, or termites, specialized to collect food and maintain the colony.
[1300–50]
Random House Kernerman Webster’s College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
work·er
(wûr′kər)
A member of a colony of social insects, such as ants or bees, that performs specialized work such as building the nest. Workers are usually sterile females.
The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
| Noun | 1. |  worker — a person who works at a specific occupation; «he is a good worker»
individual, mortal, person, somebody, someone, soul — a human being; «there was too much for one person to do» caster — a worker who casts molten metal into finished products finisher — a worker who performs the last step in a manufacturing process assistant, helper, help, supporter — a person who contributes to the fulfillment of a need or furtherance of an effort or purpose; «my invaluable assistant»; «they hired additional help to finish the work» beater — a worker who rouses wild game from under cover for a hunter bill poster, bill sticker, poster — someone who pastes up bills or placards on walls or billboards bleacher — a worker who bleaches (cloth or flour etc.) boatman, waterman, boater — someone who drives or rides in a boat carter — someone whose work is driving carts charcoal burner — a worker whose job is to make charcoal accumulator, collector, gatherer — a person who is employed to collect payments (as for rent or taxes) comber — a person who separates and straightens the fibers of cotton or wool cornhusker — a worker who husks corn driver — someone who drives animals that pull a vehicle employable — a person who is qualified and ready to work employee — a worker who is hired to perform a job free lance, freelance, free-lance, freelancer, self-employed person, independent — a writer or artist who sells services to different employers without a long-term contract with any of them gutter — a worker who guts things (fish or buildings or cars etc.) hanger — a worker who hangs something lamplighter — (when gas was used for streetlights) a person who lights and extinguishes streetlights melter — a worker who melts substances (metal or wax etc.) moonlighter — a person who holds a second job (usually after hours) mopper — a worker who uses a mop to clean a surface muzzler — someone who muzzles animals nailer — a worker who attaches something by nailing it oiler — a worker who oils engines or machinery part-timer — someone who works less than the customary or standard time peeler — a worker who peels the skins from fruits and vegetables planter — a worker who puts or sets seeds or seedlings into the ground plier, plyer — someone who plies a trade processor — someone who processes things (foods or photographs or applicants etc.) pruner, trimmer — a worker who thins out and trims trees and shrubs; «untouched by the pruner’s axe» dragger, tugger, puller — someone who pulls or tugs or drags in an effort to move something quarrier, quarryman — a man who works in a quarry ragsorter — a worker who sorts rags and old clothing for new uses (as in papermaking) blackleg, scab, strikebreaker, rat — someone who works (or provides workers) during a strike scrubber — a worker who uses a scrub brush to clean a surface (usually a floor or deck) seasonal, seasonal worker — a worker who finds employment only in certain seasons servant, retainer — a person working in the service of another (especially in the household) sheller — a worker who removes shells (as of peas or oysters) shelver — a worker who puts things (as books) on shelves shingler — a worker who shingles roofs shoveler, shoveller — a worker who shovels; «a shoveler of coal» skidder — a worker who uses a skid to move logs skilled worker, skilled workman, trained worker — a worker who has acquired special skills hard worker, striver — one who is industrious and diligent in carrying out tasks or duties solderer — a worker who joins or mends with solder splicer — a worker who splices ropes together by interweaving strands splitter — a worker who splits fish and removes the backbone stainer — a worker who stains (wood or fabric) stemmer — a worker who makes or applies stems for artificial flowers stringer — a worker who strings; «a stringer of beads» sprigger, stemmer — a worker who strips the stems from moistened tobacco leaves and binds the leaves together into books tacker — a worker who fastens things by tacking them (as with tacks or by spotwelding) nonworker — a person who does nothing |
| 2. | worker — a member of the working class (not necessarily employed); «workers of the world—unite!»
prole, proletarian labor, labour, proletariat, working class — a social class comprising those who do manual labor or work for wages; «there is a shortage of skilled labor in this field» common man, common person, commoner — a person who holds no title dogsbody — a worker who has to do all the unpleasant or boring jobs that no one else wants to do |
|
| 3. | worker — sterile member of a colony of social insects that forages for food and cares for the larvae
insect — small air-breathing arthropod soldier — a wingless sterile ant or termite having a large head and powerful jaws adapted for defending the colony worker bee — sterile bee specialized to collect food and maintain the hive |
|
| 4. |  worker — a person who acts and gets things done; «he’s a principal actor in this affair»; «when you want something done get a doer»; «he’s a miracle worker»
doer, actor individual, mortal, person, somebody, someone, soul — a human being; «there was too much for one person to do» demon — someone extremely diligent or skillful; «he worked like a demon to finish the job on time»; «she’s a demon at math» busy bee, eager beaver, live wire, sharpie, sharpy — an alert and energetic person animator, energiser, energizer, vitaliser, vitalizer — someone who imparts energy and vitality and spirit to other people go-getter, whiz-kid, whizz-kid, ball of fire — someone whose career progresses rapidly man of action, man of deeds — someone inclined to act first and think later ball of fire, human dynamo, powerhouse, fireball — a highly energetic and indefatigable person |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
worker
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
worker
noun
1. One who is employed by another:
The American Heritage® Roget’s Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
pracovník
arbejder
työntekijä
radnik
dolgozó
mikill/lítill verkmaîurstarfsmaîurverkamaîur
働く人
근로자
pracovník
delavec
arbetare
ผู้ทำงาน
công nhân
worker
[ˈwɜːkəʳ]
A. N
2. (= ant, bee) → obrera f
Collins Spanish Dictionary — Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
worker
n
→ Arbeiter(in) m(f); workers’ education → Arbeiterbildung f ? fast1 ADJ a
worker
:
worker director
n Arbeitnehmer, der gleichzeitig dem Unternehmensvorstand angehört
worker-priest
n → Arbeiterpriester m
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
worker
[ˈwɜːkəʳ] n (gen) (Agr) → lavoratore/trice (esp Industry) → operaio/a
he’s a poor worker → non lavora bene
office worker → impiegato/a
management and workers → il padronato e i lavoratori
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
work
(wəːk) noun
1. effort made in order to achieve or make something. He has done a lot of work on this project
2. employment. I cannot find work in this town.
3. a task or tasks; the thing that one is working on. Please clear your work off the table.
4. a painting, book, piece of music etc. the works of Van Gogh / Shakespeare/Mozart; This work was composed in 1816.
5. the product or result of a person’s labours. His work has shown a great improvement lately.
6. one’s place of employment. He left (his) work at 5.30 p.m.; I don’t think I’ll go to work tomorrow.
verb
1. to (cause to) make efforts in order to achieve or make something. She works at the factory three days a week; He works his employees very hard; I’ve been working on/at a new project.
2. to be employed. Are you working just now?
3. to (cause to) operate (in the correct way). He has no idea how that machine works / how to work that machine; That machine doesn’t/won’t work, but this one’s working.
4. to be practicable and/or successful. If my scheme works, we’ll be rich!
5. to make (one’s way) slowly and carefully with effort or difficulty. She worked her way up the rock face.
6. to get into, or put into, a stated condition or position, slowly and gradually. The wheel worked loose.
7. to make by craftsmanship. The ornaments had been worked in gold.
-work
1. (the art of making) goods of a particular material. He learns woodwork at school; This shop sells basketwork.
2. parts of something, eg a building, made of a particular material. The stonework/woodwork/paintwork needs to be renewed.
ˈworkable adjective
(of a plan) able to be carried out.
ˈworker noun
1. a person who works or who is employed in an office, a factory etc. office-workers; car-workers.
2. a manual worker rather than an office-worker etc.
3. a person who works (hard etc). He’s a slow/hard worker.
works noun singular or plural
a factory etc. The steelworks is/are closed for the holidays.
noun plural
1. the mechanism (of a watch, clock etc). The works are all rusted.
2. deeds, actions etc. She’s devoted her life to good works.
ˈwork-basket, ˈwork-box
etc nouns a basket, box etc for holding thread, needlework etc.
ˈworkbook noun
a book of exercises usually with spaces for answers.
ˈworkforce noun
the number of workers (available for work) in a particular industry, factory etc.
working class
the section of society who work with their hands, doing manual labour.
working day, ˈwork-day nouns
1. a day on which one goes to work, and is not on holiday.
2. the period of actual labour in a normal day at work. My working day is eight hours long.
working hours
the times of day between which one is at work. Normal working hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
ˈworking-party, ˈwork-party nouns
a group of people gathered together (usually voluntarily) to perform a particular physical task. They organized a work-party to clear the canal of weeds.
working week
the five days from Monday to Friday inclusive when people go to work.
ˈworkman noun
a man who does manual work. the workmen on a building site.
ˈworkmanlike adjective
1. suitable to a good workman. a workmanlike attitude.
2. well performed. a workmanlike job.
ˈworkmanship noun
the skill of a qualified workman; skill in making things.
ˈworkmate noun
one of the people who work in the same place of employment as oneself. Her workmates teased her about being the boss’s favourite.
ˈworkout noun
a period of hard physical exercise for the purpose of keeping fit etc.
ˈworkshop noun
1. a room or building, especially in a factory etc where construction and repairs are carried out.
2. a course of experimental work for a group of people on a particular project.
at work
working. He’s writing a novel and he likes to be at work (on it) by eight o’clock every morning.
get/set to work
to start work. Could you get to work painting that ceiling?; I’ll have to set to work on this mending this evening.
go to work on
to begin work on. We’re thinking of going to work on an extension to the house.
have one’s work cut out
to be faced with a difficult task. You’ll have your work cut out to beat the champion.
in working order
(of a machine etc) operating correctly.
out of work
having no employment. He’s been out of work for months.
work of art
a painting, sculpture etc.
work off
to get rid of (something unwanted or unpleasant) by taking physical exercise etc. He worked off his anger by running round the garden six times.
work out
1. to solve or calculate correctly. I can’t work out how many should be left.
2. to come to a satisfactory end. Don’t worry – it will all work out (in the end).
3. to perform physical exercises.
work up
1. to excite or rouse gradually. She worked herself up into a fury. (adjective ˌworked-ˈup: Don’t get so worked-up!).
2. to raise or create. I just can’t work up any energy/appetite/enthusiasm today.
work up to
to progress towards and prepare for. Work up to the difficult exercises gradually.
work wonders
to produce marvellous results. These pills have worked wonders on my rheumatism.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
worker
→ عَامِل pracovník arbejder Arbeiter εργαζόμενος trabajador työntekijä travailleur radnik lavoratore 働く人 근로자 arbeider arbeider pracownik trabalhador работник arbetare ผู้ทำงาน işçi công nhân 工人
Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
worker
n obrero -ra mf, trabajador -ra mf; social — trabajador social, asistente mf social
English-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
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PRONUNCIATION OF WORKER
GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY OF WORKER
Worker is a noun.
A noun is a type of word the meaning of which determines reality. Nouns provide the names for all things: people, objects, sensations, feelings, etc.
WHAT DOES WORKER MEAN IN ENGLISH?
Workforce
The workforce is the labour pool in employment. It is generally used to describe those working for a single company or industry, but can also apply to a geographic region like a city, state, country, etc. The term generally excludes the employers or management, and can imply those involved in manual labour. It may also mean all those that are available for work. Workers may be unionised, whereby the union conducts negotiations regarding pay and conditions of employment. In the event of industrial unrest, unions provide a co-ordinating role in organising ballots of the workforce, and strike action.
Definition of worker in the English dictionary
The first definition of worker in the dictionary is a person or thing that works, usually at a specific job. Other definition of worker is an employee in an organization, as opposed to an employer or manager. Worker is also a manual labourer or other employee working in a manufacturing or other industry.
WORDS THAT RHYME WITH WORKER
Synonyms and antonyms of worker in the English dictionary of synonyms
SYNONYMS OF «WORKER»
The following words have a similar or identical meaning as «worker» and belong to the same grammatical category.
Translation of «worker» into 25 languages
TRANSLATION OF WORKER
Find out the translation of worker to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.
The translations of worker from English to other languages presented in this section have been obtained through automatic statistical translation; where the essential translation unit is the word «worker» in English.
Translator English — Chinese
工人
1,325 millions of speakers
Translator English — Spanish
trabajador
570 millions of speakers
English
worker
510 millions of speakers
Translator English — Hindi
कार्यकर्ता
380 millions of speakers
Translator English — Arabic
عَامِل
280 millions of speakers
Translator English — Russian
работник
278 millions of speakers
Translator English — Portuguese
trabalhador
270 millions of speakers
Translator English — Bengali
কর্মী
260 millions of speakers
Translator English — French
travailleur
220 millions of speakers
Translator English — Malay
Pekerja
190 millions of speakers
Translator English — German
Arbeiter
180 millions of speakers
Translator English — Japanese
働く人
130 millions of speakers
Translator English — Korean
근로자
85 millions of speakers
Translator English — Javanese
Buruh
85 millions of speakers
Translator English — Vietnamese
công nhân
80 millions of speakers
Translator English — Tamil
தொழிலாளி
75 millions of speakers
Translator English — Marathi
कार्यकर्ता
75 millions of speakers
Translator English — Turkish
işçi
70 millions of speakers
Translator English — Italian
lavoratore
65 millions of speakers
Translator English — Polish
pracownik
50 millions of speakers
Translator English — Ukrainian
працівник
40 millions of speakers
Translator English — Romanian
muncitor
30 millions of speakers
Translator English — Greek
εργαζόμενος
15 millions of speakers
Translator English — Afrikaans
werker
14 millions of speakers
Translator English — Swedish
arbetare
10 millions of speakers
Translator English — Norwegian
arbeider
5 millions of speakers
Trends of use of worker
TENDENCIES OF USE OF THE TERM «WORKER»
The term «worker» is very widely used and occupies the 6.671 position in our list of most widely used terms in the English dictionary.
FREQUENCY
Very widely used
The map shown above gives the frequency of use of the term «worker» in the different countries.
Principal search tendencies and common uses of worker
List of principal searches undertaken by users to access our English online dictionary and most widely used expressions with the word «worker».
FREQUENCY OF USE OF THE TERM «WORKER» OVER TIME
The graph expresses the annual evolution of the frequency of use of the word «worker» during the past 500 years. Its implementation is based on analysing how often the term «worker» appears in digitalised printed sources in English between the year 1500 and the present day.
Examples of use in the English literature, quotes and news about worker
10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «WORKER»
Discover the use of worker in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to worker and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.
NO ONE COULD REACH HER Twelve-year-old Helen Keller lived in a prison of silence and darkness.
2
A Day in the Life of a Happy Worker
This edited collection brings together some of the leading researchers in the study of the daily experience of work and daily well-being.
Arnold B. Bakker, Kevin Daniels, 2013
3
Becoming a Social Worker: Global Narratives
This is a book about social workers and social work. It tells the story of the journey into and through social work of people from around the world living and working in social work today.
4
The Affluent Worker: Political Attitudes and Behaviour
In this 1968 volume the authors report on the voting and the political attitudes of a sample of highly-paid manual workers.
John H. Goldthorpe, David Lockwood, Frank Bechhofer, 1968
5
Jesus the Miracle Worker: A Historical and Theological Study
Graham Twelftree extensively examines the miracles of each Gospel narrative. He weighs their historical reliability and considers the question of miracles and the modern mind.
Graham H. Twelftree, 1999
6
The Emotionally Intelligent Social Worker
Elegantly and succinctly, David Howe explains the theory of emotional intelligence — and its vital practical value — to an audience of students and practitioners across a range of human services and caring professions.
7
Worker Centers: Organizing Communities at the Edge of the Dream
Community-based worker centers help low-wage workers gain access to social services; advocate for their own civil and human rights; and organize to improve wages, working conditions, neighborhoods, and public schools.In this pathbreaking …
8
A Radical Worker in Tsarist Russia: The Autobiography of …
Semen Kanatchikov, born in a central Russian village in 1879, was one of the thousands of peasants who made the transition from traditional village life to the life of an urban factory worker in Moscow and St. Petersburg in the last years …
Semen Kanatchikov, Reginald E. Zelnik, 1986
9
The Affluent Worker in the Class Structure
This final book in The Affluent Worker series contains the findings and conclusions on the extent of working class embourgeoisment.
David Lockwood, Frank Bechhofer, Jennifer Platt, 1969
10
Wife Or Worker?: Asian Women and Migration
This volume challenges the perception of Asian women as either mail-order brides or overseas workers.
Nicola Piper, Mina Roces, 2003
10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «WORKER»
Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term worker is used in the context of the following news items.
Tech industry’s persistent claim of worker shortage may be phony
Alice Tornquist, a Washington lobbyist for the high-tech firm Qualcomm, took the stage at a recent Qualcomm-underwritten conference to remind her audience … «Los Angeles Times, Aug 15»
Prison Worker Who Aided Escape Tells of Sex, Saw Blades and …
PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — A small favor for a killer’s daughter. A stolen kiss and a furtive sexual encounter. And ultimately, sneaking tools past guards for use in an … «New York Times, Jul 15»
Car assembly line robot kills worker in Germany
(CNN) An automotive assembly line robot killed a worker at a car factory in … Despite efforts to revive him, the worker, an employee of a third-party vendor, died … «CNN, Jul 15»
Who’s Speaking Up for the American Worker?
But unlike most of the lawmakers deciding the fate of America’s role in international trade, I have spent much of the past three years talking to dislocated workers … «New York Times, Jun 15»
Healthcare worker jailed for stealing from cancer patients
A healthcare worker who stole cash and jewellery from vulnerable cancer patients has been jailed. Jacqueline Perry, 49, was caught after colleagues at … «BBC News, Jun 15»
Worker Is Killed During Attack at Upper West Side Shop
Emergency medical workers took the man to Mount Sinai St. Luke’s, where he was pronounced dead. The authorities say he appeared to be in his 20s and have … «New York Times, Jun 15»
In Turnabout, Disney Cancels Tech Worker Layoffs
It came in the midst of a furor over layoffs in January of 250 tech workers at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla. People who lost jobs there said they had to sit with … «New York Times, Jun 15»
Prison Worker Joyce Mitchell Planned to ‘Move On’ With Escaped …
The prison worker charged with aiding in the escape of two convicted killers from a maximum-security correctional facility planned to meet the pair at midnight on … «NBCNews.com, Jun 15»
Chinatown rape case: Worker at troubled group home arrested
A worker at a now-closed city group home for troubled youth has been arrested on charges he doctored a logbook to falsely show he was checking regularly on … «WABC-TV, Jun 15»
Worker Shortage Hammers Builders
“As you’re struggling to find more skilled workers, the more you can do ahead of time that requires fewer skilled workers is a help,” said Rilo Stephens, president … «Wall Street Journal, Jun 15»
REFERENCE
« EDUCALINGO. Worker [online]. Available <https://educalingo.com/en/dic-en/worker>. Apr 2023 ».
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