laborer

Meaning

1. 1nouncountable

   A person who does physical work, often unskilled, usually for wages.

   Grammar: Countable: a laborer, many laborers. In British English it is spelled 'labourer'.

   Patterns

   • a laborer on a farm
   • work as a laborer
   • hire laborers

   He worked as a laborer on a construction site.

   The farm hires laborers during the harvest season.

   Many laborers earn low wages and have no health insurance.

Word forms

Common combinations

construction laborer

The construction laborers worked long hours in the heat.

farm laborer

Farm laborers pick fruits and vegetables in the summer.

manual laborer

Manual laborers often suffer from back pain.

day laborer

Day laborers wait at the corner hoping to be hired.

Synonyms and how they differ

worker

A general word for anyone who works; laborer specifically suggests physical, often unskilled work.

workman

A man who does manual work, especially in a skilled trade; laborer is broader and can include unskilled workers.

Word family

labor noun

Physical or mental work, especially for wages.

labor verb

To work hard, especially at physical tasks.

Commonly confused: laborer or labourer?

Practice

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Write a sentence using “laborer”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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