a person who is employed to do a job, especially one paid by wages or salary
At the factory, every worker wears a bright orange safety vest.
The new policy promises higher wages for every worker in the company.
✦ Old English ‘wyrċere’ from ‘wyrcan’ (“work”) + ‘-er’, meaning a person who works.
a sterile female insect, such as an ant, bee, or termite, that gathers food and looks after the young in a colony
A single hive can contain thousands of worker bees gathering nectar.
The worker ants formed a long line carrying leaves back to the nest.
✦ Extended from the human sense of ‘worker’ to social insects in the 18th century, reflecting their labor-like role in the colony.
a person who works with you at the same company or organization
After the meeting, my coworker Maria and I grabbed coffee together.
The new coworker brought homemade cookies for everyone.
✦ From the prefix co- meaning “together” + worker.
a person who works with you at the same job or organization
Maria asked her coworker to cover her shift on Friday.
During lunch, all the new coworkers chatted about their first week at the company.
✦ Formed in the late 19th century from the prefix “co-” (together) + “worker.”
a person whose job is to load and unload cargo from ships at a dock.
The dockworker swung the heavy crate onto the ship with ease.
My uncle is a dockworker and he works long hours by the harbor.
✦ Mid-20th century; dock + worker.
A person who works on a farm, growing crops or raising animals.
The farmworkers were picking apples in the orchard.
A skilled farmworker repaired the tractor before planting season.
✦ From 'farm' + 'worker', first appearing in the early 1900s as agriculture industrialized.
A person who makes or repairs items from leather, such as shoes, bags, belts, or saddles.
I brought my old boots to the skilled leatherworker for repairs.
The leatherworker carefully stitched a new wallet from soft calfskin.
✦ Formed by combining leather and worker in the 19th century.
