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child labor

American  

noun

  1. the gainful employment of children below an age determined by law or custom.


Etymology

Origin of child labor

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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“Go deep deep into your supply chains to ensure that no slave or child labor is being used anywhere in the world to create your products.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 22, 2026

It was a reaction to corporate abuses and corrupt governance and horrific things like child labor and environmental destruction.

From Slate ● Apr. 17, 2026

The new enforcement efforts will be overseen by the state Labor and Workforce Development Agency, which directs key agencies charged with regulating child labor and worksite safety laws, officials said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 5, 2025

Congress prohibited child labor under age 14 in 1916.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 30, 2025

Among its provisions are establishing a forty-hour work week and a national minimum wage as well as prohibiting oppressive child labor and most employment of minors.

From "1919 The Year That Changed America" by Martin W. Sandler

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