work ‧ er S2 W1 /ˈwɜːkə $ ˈwɜːrkər/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ work , ↑ workaholic , ↑ worker , ↑ working , WORKINGS ; adjective : ↑ workable ≠ ↑ unworkable , ↑ overworked , ↑ working ; verb : ↑ work , ↑ rework ]
1 . someone who does a job, especially a particular type of job:
workers in the tourist industry
reports from local aid workers
⇨ ↑ guest worker , ↑ social worker
2 . [usually plural] someone who works in an organization and who is not a manager:
conflicts between workers and management
attacks on workers’ rights
3 . good/hard/quick etc worker someone who works very well or quickly
4 . the workers the members of the ↑ working class :
the workers’ revolution
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COLLOCATIONS
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + worker
▪ a skilled worker (=one who has special skills)
There is a shortage of skilled workers.
▪ an unskilled worker
Some ex-miners now had jobs as unskilled workers in factories.
▪ a part-time worker
A high percentage of the female staff were part-time workers.
▪ a full-time worker
The bureau has only two full-time workers.
▪ a temporary/casual worker (=working somewhere for a limited period of time)
Employees were fired and replaced with temporary workers.
▪ a manual/blue-collar worker (=someone who does physical work)
Manual workers often live close to their workplace.
▪ a white-collar worker (=someone who works in an office, a bank etc)
In the past, white-collar workers tended to work for one company for a long time, rather than changing jobs.
▪ a low-paid worker
As part-time, low-paid workers, many women earned very little.
▪ a factory/farm/office worker
Factory workers threatened strikes.
▪ a research/rescue/health etc worker
Rescue workers searched the rubble all night looking for survivors.
▪ a construction worker (=someone who builds buildings, bridges etc)
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THESAURUS
▪ worker someone who does a particular type of job, or someone who works for an organization but is not a manager:
a post-office worker
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The workers are threatening to go on strike.
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The report shows that male manual workers earn twice as much as female workers.
▪ employee someone who has a job, especially a permanent job, with a particular company or organization:
Employees of the airline get generous reductions on the cost of flights.
▪ member of staff/staff member one of the people who work for a company, organization, school etc - used especially in official contexts:
Training opportunities are available to all members of staff.
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Several staff members complained about his increasing strange behaviour.
▪ colleague ( also coworker especially American English ) someone you work with – use this especially about people who do professional jobs in offices, schools etc:
I’d like you to meet a colleague of mine, Jean-Michel Blanc.
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What should you do if a co-worker is injured?
▪ workforce all the people that work in a country, industry, or large organization:
Women make up 41% of the workforce.
▪ staff all the people who work in a company, organization, school etc:
The staff were clearly worried about rumours of job losses.
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sales staff