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

Example Sentences

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 • Mar. 25, 2026

The shift also extends to an emphasis on shop classes, as blue-collar jobs become more popular and white-collar hiring slows.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 17, 2026

Certain blue-collar jobs have seemed fairly susceptible to AI disruption as well, with robots already playing a role in things like factory and warehouse automation.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 12, 2026

The firm sends thousands of blue-collar workers overseas each year in search of regular, better paid work.

From Barron's • Mar. 8, 2026

That was why I was with a blue-collar agency instead of a white-collar agency.

From "Kindred" by Octavia Butler

Related Words

• apprentice
• blue-collar worker