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

And while the blue collar and gig economy labor markets are less affected, white collar workers who can’t find work begin to flood in, increasing labor supply.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 24, 2026

The wages of blue collar jobs remained on the lower part of the income spectrum, while the wages of white collar services jobs increased.

From Barron's • Dec. 4, 2025

The Metro policy, which includes penalties for non-compliance, was adopted in 2022 to ensure that federal and state dollars provided livable wages to blue collar workers.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 29, 2025

The songs – Thunder Road, Jungleland, Born To Run – throbbed with longing, as his characters fought to escape the confines of small-town, blue collar American life.

From BBC • Oct. 24, 2024

It was a big, closed car, with a driver in a white duster with blue collar and cuffs, and we had him put the back of the car down.

From "The Sun Also Rises" by Ernest Hemingway

Related Words

• apprentice
• blue-collar worker