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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Discover More

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

Explanation

A blue-collar job involves doing physical labor, working with your hands and body to do paid work. Examples of blue-collar workers include mechanics, construction workers, and electricians. Blue-collar jobs involve manual labor and skilled trades. Factory workers, custodians, plumbers, and landscapers are considered blue-collar workers. Blue-collar jobs are often contrasted with white-collar jobs, which are typically done in offices, sitting at desks. The term blue-collar first appeared in the 1920s, referencing the durable, blue work-shirts and denims that many laborers traditionally wore. Blue-collar workers are essential to building and keeping infrastructure and industries running smoothly.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

blue-collar

Born Benjamin Satterley in a blue-collar community in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, he first came to national attention stateside in the WWE, where he wrestled under the decidedly English name Neville.

From Salon ● Oct. 2, 2026

Former labor organizer and iron worker Brian Poindexter embodies the emerging blue-collar, practical-minded Democrat type in the upcoming midterms.

From Slate ● Sep. 28, 2026

The men are in blue-collar sectors with a Darwinian outlook.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026

The AI boom is quietly creating some of the fastest-growing blue-collar jobs in America.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 18, 2026

Who would have thought that such a melange of black and white, male and female, blue-collar and white-collar workers, those who worked with their hands and those who worked with numbers, was actually possible?

From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly

Related Words

• apprentice
• blue-collar worker