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.

---

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.

---

Etymology

Origin of labor-intensive

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

However, some commissioners and residents remain skeptical, saying the benefits are uneven, and data centers create few permanent jobs after their labor-intensive construction is finished.

From Salon • Jun. 6, 2026

Although more labor-intensive than short-read sequencing, the technique provides a clearer picture of allele differences and distant methylation sites.

From Science Daily • Jun. 1, 2026

Much of the labor-intensive visual effects work known as rotoscoping was outsourced to shops in India and other countries with much lower labor costs than in California.

From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2026

In labor-intensive sectors —such as healthcare, education, childcare, and housing services — productivity gains are limited.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 18, 2026

Increasing their numbers was labor-intensive: scientists had to repeatedly scrape the cells from one tube and split them into new ones to give them more space.

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot