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

It responded to the scandal at the time by saying that it "had a zero tolerance of child labour" and would act "immediately".

From BBC • Jun. 29, 2025

Last year, Shein itself found child labour in its supply chain after tightening scrutiny of suppliers.

From BBC • Jan. 18, 2025

Huge posters urge staff to report underage workers - likely a response to finding two cases of child labour in the supply chain last year.

From BBC • Jan. 12, 2025

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