child labour

British

noun

the full-time employment of children below a minimum age laid down by statute

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

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There is no unified definition of a child or child labour in Pakistan, although a federal law prohibits children under the age of 14 from working in unsafe and hazardous environments, such as factories.

From Barron's • Oct. 13, 2025

Though Indian laws ban child labour below 14, experts say no such guidelines exist for sports, where players below 14 regularly compete in national and international events.

From BBC • Nov. 26, 2024

The teenage pair tease each other about child labour and who started working at the shop first.

From BBC • Oct. 25, 2024

Every employer in the supply chain has also signed a letter of commitment to the UN, pledging to abide by its guidelines regarding safe working practices and eliminating child labour.

From BBC • May 27, 2024

The raising of the age of child labour, with a view to its ultimate extinction.

From British Socialism An Examination of Its Doctrines, Policy, Aims and Practical Proposals by Barker, J. Ellis

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023