blue-collar

American  

[bloo-kol-er] / ˈbluˈkɒl ər /

adjective

1. of or relating to wage-earning workers who wear work clothes or other specialized clothing on the job, as mechanics, longshoremen, and miners.

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noun

1. a blue-collar worker.

blue-collar British  

adjective

1. of, relating to, or designating manual industrial workers Compare white-collar pink-collar

   a blue-collar union

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blue-collar Cultural  

1. A descriptive term widely used for manual laborers, as opposed to white-collar for office workers.

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The term is often associated with conservative values.

Etymology

Origin of blue-collar

First recorded in 1945–50

Compare meaning

How does blue-collar compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• blue-collar vs. white-collar

Example Sentences

In January, he published a profile of a 23-year-old electrician who skipped college to be a part of “Gen Z’s blue-collar revolution.”

From The Wall Street Journal

If not, he has warned that he would have to raise property tax rates in the city, a move that would affect a swath of New Yorkers, including blue-collar and middle-class homeowners.

From The Wall Street Journal

The kind of job insecurity that once seemed the province of hourly, blue-collar jobs haunts white-collar professions these days.

From The Wall Street Journal

Some are pivoting to blue-collar work or starting their own businesses.

From The Wall Street Journal

Some are pivoting to blue-collar work or starting their own businesses that may insulate them from the impacts of AI.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• apprentice
• blue-collar worker