labor-intensive

American  

[ley-ber-in-ten-siv] / ˈleɪ bər ɪnˈtɛn sɪv /

adjective

1. requiring or using a large supply of labor, relative to capital.

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labor-intensive Cultural  

1. A term describing industries that require a great deal of labor relative to capital (compare capital-intensive). Examples of labor-intensive industries are forms of agriculture that cannot make use of machinery and service industries, such as restaurants.

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Etymology

Origin of labor-intensive

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

There are typically waiting lists for some of the more labor-intensive work, such as the rebuilding of a transmission.

From Los Angeles Times

AI has especially broken through in some of the least-flashy, but most labor-intensive, tasks hospitals deal with daily: taking notes, fielding patient phone calls and dealing with insurance claims.

From The Wall Street Journal

Meatpackers have long turned to immigrants to keep plants running, especially in Midwestern towns lacking enough workers for the often labor-intensive jobs, which typically pay between $20 and $30 an hour.

From The Wall Street Journal

However, industry analysts predicted that if Netflix absorbs Warner, the labor-intensive business units would undoubtedly be scrutinized and could ultimately be downsized.

From Los Angeles Times

The aim is to speed up production of new submarines and labor-intensive overhauls of existing vessels.

From The Wall Street Journal