Standard Lemma guide

worker

noun · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈwɜː.kə/
  • US: /ˈwɝ.kɚ/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • UK: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɜː(ɹ)kə(ɹ)
  • CMU ARPABET: W ER1 K ER0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

One who works: a person who performs labor for a living; traditionally, especially, manual labor.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Near-synonym: employee

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: employee

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A nonreproductive social insect, such as ant, bee, termite, or wasp.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A nonreproductive social insect, such as ant, bee, termite, or wasp.

A female ant, bee, termite or wasp.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: rare

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A thread performing one instance of a particular task within a program.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences

Examples

  • This FTP client spawns a separate worker for each file to be uploaded.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

sterile member of a colony of social insects that forages for food and cares for the larvae

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: insect

Narrower terms: soldier, worker bee

6

noun

Meaning 6

a person who works at a specific occupation

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he is a good worker

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: nonworker

Broader terms: person, individual, someone, somebody, mortal, soul

Narrower terms: caster, finisher, assistant, helper, help, supporter, beater, bill poster, poster, bill sticker, bleacher, boatman, boater, waterman, carter, charcoal burner, collector, gatherer, accumulator, comber, cornhusker, driver, employable, employee, freelancer, freelance, free-lance, free lance, independent, self-employed person, gutter, hanger, lamplighter, melter, moonlighter, mopper, muzzler, nailer, oiler, part-timer, peeler, planter, plier, plyer, processor, pruner, trimmer, puller, tugger, dragger, quarryman, quarrier, ragsorter, scab, strikebreaker, blackleg, rat, scrubber, seasonal worker, seasonal, servant, retainer, sheller, shelver, shingler, shoveler, shoveller, skidder, skilled worker, trained worker, skilled workman, slave, striver, hard worker, solderer, splicer, splitter, stainer, stemmer, stringer, stripper, sprigger, tacker, tapper, teaser, temp, temporary, temporary worker, toiler, throwster, thrower, tier, tier up, tiler, topper, trade unionist, unionist, union member, twiner, volunteer, unpaid worker, wallah, washer, winder, wiper, working girl, workmate

7

noun

Meaning 7

a person who acts and gets things done

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he's a principal actor in this affair
  • when you want something done get a doer
  • he's a miracle worker

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: actor, doer

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: person, individual, someone, somebody, mortal, soul

Narrower terms: demon, eager beaver, busy bee, live wire, sharpie, sharpy, energizer, energiser, vitalizer, vitaliser, animator, go-getter, whizz-kid, whiz-kid, ball of fire, man of action, man of deeds, powerhouse, human dynamo, fireball

8

noun

Meaning 8

a member of the working class (not necessarily employed)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • workers of the world--unite!

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: proletarian, prole

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: commoner, common man, common person

Narrower terms: dogsbody

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *werǵ- Proto-Indo-European *-om Proto-Indo-European *wérǵom Proto-Germanic *werką Proto-West Germanic *werk Old English weorc Middle English werk Proto-Indo-European *-yósder. Proto-Italic *-āzios Latin -āriusnom. Latin -āriusbor. Proto-Germanic *-ārijaz Proto-West Germanic *-ārī Old English -ere Middle English -ere Middle English werkere, worcher, wercher English worker From Middle English werkere, worcher, wercher, equivalent to work + -er. Displaced the older term wright, from Old English wyrhta.

Across languages

Translations

263 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Afrikaans: werker — person who performs labor
  • Aghwan: 𐕌𐕒𐕡𐔽𐔰𐕄 (muˁaḳ) — person who performs labor
  • Albanian: punëtor — person who performs labor
  • Albanian: punëtore — person who performs labor
  • Amharic: ሠራተኛ (śäratäña) — person who performs labor
  • Arabic: عَامِل (ʕāmil) — person who performs labor
  • Arabic: عَامِلَة (ʕāmila) — person who performs labor
  • Arabic: شَغِّيل (šaḡḡīl) — person who performs labor
  • Arabic: شَغِّيلَة (šaḡḡīla) — person who performs labor
  • Aragonese: treballador — person who performs labor
  • Armenian: աշխատող (ašxatoġ) — person who performs labor
  • Armenian: բանվոր (banvor) — person who performs labor
  • Aromanian: lucrãtor — person who performs labor
  • Aromanian: lucrãtonj — person who performs labor
  • Aromanian: argat — person who performs labor
  • Asturian: obreru — person who performs labor
  • Asturian: trabayador — person who performs labor
  • Azerbaijani: işçi — person who performs labor
  • Azerbaijani: fəhlə — person who performs labor
  • Azerbaijani: zəhmətkeş — person who performs labor
  • Bashkir: эшсе (eşse) — person who performs labor
  • Basque: langile — person who performs labor
  • Belarusian: рабо́тнік (rabótnik) — person who performs labor
  • Belarusian: рабо́тніца (rabótnica) — person who performs labor
  • Belarusian: працаўні́к (pracawník) — person who performs labor
  • Belarusian: працаўні́ца (pracawníca) — person who performs labor
  • Belarusian: рабо́чы (rabóčy) — person who performs labor
  • Belarusian: рабо́чая (rabóčaja) — person who performs labor
  • Bengali: কর্মী (kormi) — person who performs labor
  • Breton: labourer — person who performs labor
  • Breton: micherour — person who performs labor
  • Bulgarian: рабо́тник (rabótnik) — person who performs labor
  • Bulgarian: рабо́тничка (rabótnička) — person who performs labor
  • Burmese: အလုပ်သမား (a.lupsa.ma:) — person who performs labor
  • Burmese: လုပ်သား (lupsa:) — person who performs labor
  • Catalan: treballador — person who performs labor
  • Catalan: treballadora — person who performs labor
  • Catalan: obrer — person who performs labor
  • Chinese Mandarin: 工人 (gōngrén) — person who performs labor
  • Chinese Mandarin: 工作者 (gōngzuòzhě) — person who performs labor
  • Chinese Mandarin: 勞動者 /劳动者 (láodòngzhě) — person who performs labor
  • Chinese Mandarin: 劳工 (láogōng) — person who performs labor
  • West Circassian: лэжьакӏо (lɛźakwʼo) — person who performs labor
  • Cornish: oberer — person who performs labor
  • Cornish: oberores — person who performs labor
  • Cornish: gweythor — person who performs labor
  • Cornish: gweythores — person who performs labor
  • Czech: dělník — person who performs labor
  • Czech: dělnice — person who performs labor
  • Danish: arbejder — person who performs labor
  • Dutch: arbeider — person who performs labor
  • Dutch: arbeidster — person who performs labor
  • Dutch: arbeidskracht — person who performs labor
  • Egyptian: kA-w-t:y-D40 (kꜣwtj) — person who performs labor
  • Esperanto: laboristo — person who performs labor
  • Esperanto: laboristino — person who performs labor
  • Esperanto: laboranto — person who performs labor
  • Esperanto: laborantino — person who performs labor
  • Esperanto: proleto — person who performs labor
  • Esperanto: proletino — person who performs labor
  • Esperanto: proletario — person who performs labor
  • Esperanto: proletariino — person who performs labor
  • Estonian: töötaja — person who performs labor
  • Evenki: һавалимни — person who performs labor
  • Finnish: työläinen — person who performs labor
  • French: travailleur — person who performs labor
  • French: travailleuse — person who performs labor
  • French: ouvrier — person who performs labor
  • French: ouvrière — person who performs labor
  • Galician: obreiro — person who performs labor
  • Georgian: მუშა (muša) — person who performs labor
  • Georgian: მუშაკი (mušaḳi) — person who performs labor
  • German: Arbeiter — person who performs labor
  • German: Arbeiterin — person who performs labor
  • German: Angestellter — person who performs labor
  • German: Angestellte — person who performs labor
  • German: Hackler — person who performs labor
  • German: Hacklerin — person who performs labor
  • German: Arbeitnehmer — person who performs labor
  • German: Arbeitnehmerin — person who performs labor
  • East Central German: Arbittr — person who performs labor
  • Gothic: 𐍅𐌰𐌿𐍂𐍃𐍄𐍅𐌰 (waurstwa) — person who performs labor
  • Greek: εργάτης (ergátis) — person who performs labor
  • Greek: εργάτρια (ergátria) — person who performs labor
  • Ancient Greek: ἐργάτης (ergátēs) — person who performs labor
  • Ancient Greek: ἐργάτις (ergátis) — person who performs labor
  • Haitian Creole: travayè — person who performs labor
  • Hebrew: עוֹבֵד (oved) — person who performs labor
  • Hebrew: עובדת (ovedet) — person who performs labor
  • Hebrew: פּוֹעֵל (po'él) — person who performs labor
  • Hebrew: פּוֹעֶלֶת (pó'élet) — person who performs labor
  • Hindi: मज़दूर (mazdūr) — person who performs labor
  • Hindi: श्रमिक (śramik) — person who performs labor
  • Hindi: कामगार (kāmgār) — person who performs labor
  • Hungarian: munkás — person who performs labor
  • Icelandic: starfsmaður — person who performs labor
  • Icelandic: verkamaður — person who performs labor
  • Ido: laboristo — person who performs labor
  • Indonesian: buruh — person who performs labor
  • Ingrian: tööläin — person who performs labor
  • Irish: oibrí — person who performs labor
  • Italian: lavoratore — person who performs labor
  • Italian: operaio — person who performs labor
  • Italian: lavorante — person who performs labor
  • Japanese: 労働者 (rōdōsha) — person who performs labor
  • Japanese: 勤労者 (kinrōsha) — person who performs labor
  • Japanese: 働く人 (hataraku hito) — person who performs labor
  • Kazakh: жұмысшы (jūmysşy) — person who performs labor
  • Khmer: បុគ្គលិក (bokkĕəʼlɨk) — person who performs labor
  • Khmer: កម្មករ (kamkɑɑ) — person who performs labor
  • Khmer: អ្នកធ្វើការ (nĕək thvəə kaa) — person who performs labor
  • Korean: 노동자 (nodongja) — person who performs labor
  • Korean: 로동자 (rodongja) — person who performs labor
  • Korean: 근로자 (geulloja) — person who performs labor
  • Central Kurdish: کرێکار (krêkar) — person who performs labor
  • Northern Kurdish: karker — person who performs labor
  • Kyrgyz: жумушчу (jumuşcu) — person who performs labor
  • Ladin: laurant — person who performs labor
  • Ladino: lavorante — person who performs labor
  • Ladino: ovrero — person who performs labor
  • Ladino: ovrador — person who performs labor
  • Ladino: lavurador (Monastir) — person who performs labor
  • Lao: ກໍາມະກອນ (kam ma kǭn) — person who performs labor
  • Lao: ຄົນການ (khon kān) — person who performs labor
  • Lao: ຄົນເຮັດ (khon het) — person who performs labor
  • Lao: ພະນັກງານ (pha nak ngān) — person who performs labor
  • Latin: operārius — person who performs labor
  • Latvian: strādnieks — person who performs labor
  • Latvian: strādniece — person who performs labor
  • Lithuanian: darbininkas — person who performs labor
  • Lithuanian: darbininkė — person who performs labor
  • Luxembourgish: Aarbechter — person who performs labor
  • Macedonian: работник (rabotnik) — person who performs labor
  • Macedonian: работничка (rabotnička) — person who performs labor
  • Malay: pekerja — person who performs labor
  • Maltese: ħaddiem — person who performs labor
  • Maltese: ħaddiema — person who performs labor
  • Manx: obbree — person who performs labor
  • Māori: kaimahi — person who performs labor
  • Mongolian: ажилчин (ažilčin) — person who performs labor
  • Mongolian: ажилтан (ažiltan) — person who performs labor
  • Mongolian: ᠠᠵᠢᠯᠴᠢᠨ (aǰilčin) — person who performs labor
  • Mwani: nkolakazi — person who performs labor
  • Norman: ouvriyi — person who performs labor
  • Norman: travailleux — person who performs labor
  • Norwegian Bokmål: arbeider — person who performs labor
  • Norwegian Bokmål: arbeidsmann — person who performs labor
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: arbeidar — person who performs labor
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: arbeidsmann — person who performs labor
  • Occitan: trabalhaire — person who performs labor
  • Occitan: obrièr — person who performs labor
  • Old English: wyrhta — person who performs labor
  • Pannonian Rusyn: роботнїк (robotnjik) — person who performs labor
  • Pannonian Rusyn: роботнїца (robotnjica) — person who performs labor
  • Pashto: کارګر (kārgar) — person who performs labor
  • Pashto: کاريګر (kārigar) — person who performs labor
  • Persian: کَارْگَر (kārgar) — person who performs labor
  • Dari: کَارْگَر (kārgar) — person who performs labor
  • Iranian Persian: کارْگَر (kârgar) — person who performs labor
  • Iranian Persian: فَعَلِه (fa'ale) — person who performs labor
  • Iranian Persian: عَمَلِه (amale) — person who performs labor
  • Polish: robotnik — person who performs labor
  • Polish: robotnica — person who performs labor
  • Portuguese: trabalhador — person who performs labor
  • Quechua: llamk'aq — person who performs labor
  • Romanian: lucrător — person who performs labor
  • Romanian: lucrătoare — person who performs labor
  • Romanian: muncitor — person who performs labor
  • Romanian: muncitoare — person who performs labor
  • Romanian: angajat — person who performs labor
  • Romanian: angajată — person who performs labor
  • Russian: рабо́тник (rabótnik) — person who performs labor
  • Russian: рабо́тница (rabótnica) — person who performs labor
  • Russian: рабо́чий (rabóčij) — person who performs labor
  • Russian: рабо́чая (rabóčaja) — person who performs labor
  • Russian: трудя́щийся (trudjáščijsja) — person who performs labor
  • Russian: трудя́щаяся (trudjáščajasja) — person who performs labor
  • Russian: тру́женик (trúženik) — person who performs labor
  • Russian: тру́женица (trúženica) — person who performs labor
  • Scottish Gaelic: obraiche — person who performs labor
  • Scottish Gaelic: neach-obrach — person who performs labor
  • Serbo-Croatian: ра̑днӣк — person who performs labor
  • Serbo-Croatian: ра̑дница — person who performs labor
  • Serbo-Croatian: rȃdnīk — person who performs labor
  • Serbo-Croatian: rȃdnica — person who performs labor
  • Shor: ишчи (işçi) — person who performs labor
  • Sicilian: travagghiaturi — person who performs labor
  • Sicilian: lavureri — person who performs labor
  • Sicilian: opiraiu — person who performs labor
  • Sicilian: operaiu — person who performs labor
  • Sicilian: lavuraturi — person who performs labor
  • Sinhalese: කම්කරුවා (kamkaruwā) — person who performs labor
  • Sinhalese: වැඩකාරයා (wæḍakārayā) — person who performs labor
  • Slovak: robotník — person who performs labor
  • Slovak: robotníčka — person who performs labor
  • Slovene: delavec — person who performs labor
  • Slovene: delavka — person who performs labor
  • Spanish: trabajador — person who performs labor
  • Spanish: obrero — person who performs labor
  • Sranan Tongo: wrokoman — person who performs labor
  • Swahili: mfanyakazi — person who performs labor
  • Swahili: mfanyaji — person who performs labor
  • Swedish: arbetare — person who performs labor
  • Tagalog: manggagawa — person who performs labor
  • Tagalog: trabahador — person who performs labor
  • Tajik: коргар (korgar) — person who performs labor
  • Tatar: эшче (eşçe) — person who performs labor
  • Thai: คนงาน (kon-ngaan) — person who performs labor
  • Thai: กรรมกร (gam-má-gɔɔn) — person who performs labor
  • Thai: พนักงาน (pá-nák-ngaan) — person who performs labor
  • Thai: ลูกจ้าง (lûuk-jâang) — person who performs labor
  • Thai: คนทํางาน (kon-tam-ngaan) — person who performs labor
  • Thai: ผู้ปฏิบัติงาน (pûu-bpà-dtì-bàt-ngaan) — person who performs labor
  • Thai: ผู้ใช้แรงงาน (pûu-chái-rɛɛng-ngaan) — person who performs labor
  • Tibetan: ལས་མི་ (las mi) — person who performs labor
  • Tibetan: ངལ་རྩོལ་བ (ngal rtsol ba) — person who performs labor
  • Tibetan: ལས་ཀ་བྱེད་མཁན (las ka byed mkhan) — person who performs labor
  • Tigrinya: ሰራሕተኛ (säraḥtäña) — person who performs labor
  • Turkish: işçi — person who performs labor
  • Turkish: emekçi — person who performs labor
  • Turkish: amele — person who performs labor
  • Turkish: faale — person who performs labor
  • Turkmen: işçi — person who performs labor
  • Udi: аьшбал (äšbal) — person who performs labor
  • Udi: ашбал (ašbal) — person who performs labor
  • Ukrainian: робітни́к (robitnýk) — person who performs labor
  • Ukrainian: робітни́ця (robitnýcja) — person who performs labor
  • Ukrainian: працівни́к (pracivnýk) — person who performs labor
  • Ukrainian: працівни́ця (pracivnýcja) — person who performs labor
  • Ukrainian: трудя́щий (trudjáščyj) — person who performs labor
  • Ukrainian: трудя́ща (trudjášča) — person who performs labor
  • Urdu: مَزدُور (mazdūr) — person who performs labor
  • Urdu: کامْگار (kāmgār) — person who performs labor
  • Uyghur: ئىشچى (ishchi) — person who performs labor
  • Uzbek: ishchi — person who performs labor
  • Vietnamese: công nhân — person who performs labor
  • Volapük: voban — person who performs labor
  • Volapük: hivoban — person who performs labor
  • Volapük: jivoban — person who performs labor
  • Yiddish: אַרבעטער (arbeter) — person who performs labor
  • Yiddish: אַרבעטערין (arbeterin) — person who performs labor
  • Breton: labourerez — insect
  • Czech: dělnice — insect
  • Finnish: työläinen — insect
  • French: ouvrier — insect
  • French: ouvrière — insect
  • Georgian: მუშა (muša) — insect
  • German: Arbeiterin — insect
  • German: Arbeitsameise — insect
  • German: Arbeitsbiene — insect
  • German: Arbeitstermite (termite) — insect
  • German: Arbeitswespe — insect
  • Hungarian: dolgozó — insect
  • Indonesian: pekerja — insect
  • Norman: ouvriyi — insect
  • Polish: robotnica — insect
  • Portuguese: operário — insect
  • Romanian: albină lucrătoare — insect
  • Russian: рабо́чий (rabóčij) — insect
  • Russian: рабо́чая пчела́ (rabóčaja pčelá) — insect
  • Russian: рабо́чая оса́ (rabóčaja osá) — insect
  • Spanish: obrera — insect
  • Vietnamese: thợ — insect
Real reading context

worker in complete knowledge articles