child labor

American  

noun

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

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Etymology

Origin of child labor

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

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 early 20th century, Mr. Kimmel tells us, was the beginning of a “new American childhood,” whose hallmarks included the decline of child labor and a newfound emphasis on creative expression and play.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 12, 2026

Just 27 citations were issued for child labor violations to the thousands of agricultural employers across California, the records show.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 5, 2025

Congress prohibited child labor under age 14 in 1916.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 30, 2025

Suffragists saw the vote as a way they could make the world a better place by using it to increase wages, eliminate child labor, and reduce government corruption.

From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling