Blue-collar
adj, noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 A blue-collar worker.
"In ways, these people defined what it was to be a really good lesbian or a really good dyke. For example: You needed to be articulate or aggressive […] You either needed to be a university or community college person, or a real sincere and hardworking blue collar. If you were from one of the outlying towns, you were likely to have a black mark against you in the first place."
- 1 Working class; engaged or trained in essentially manual labor.
"Blue-collar workers represent a diminishing segment of society."
- 2 Pertaining to the culture of blue-collar workers.
"Even as a tenured professor, she remained proud of her blue-collar values."
- 1 of those who work for wages especially manual or industrial laborers wordnet
- 2 of or designating manual industrial work or workers wordnet
Antonyms
All antonymsExample
More examples"Why are, depending on the company, blue-collar workers better paid than white-collar ones?"
Etymology
From blue + collar. From the color of rugged denim and chambray work shirts often worn by manual workers, as opposed to the white dress shirts typically worn by professionals and clerical workers.