manual scavenger
noun
(especially in India, where it is now outlawed) a person whose work is to clear untreated human waste from outhouses, septic tanks, etc., by hand.
manual scavengers
-
pluralof manual scavenger.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
His family members, and his broader community, were manual scavengers, tasked with cleaning by hand human excrement from dry latrines at a government-run gold mine in southern India.
From New York Times ● Feb. 2, 2024
So he urged some manual scavengers to take him on the job.
From New York Times ● Feb. 2, 2024
Bezwada Wilson, national convenor of the Safai Karmachari Andolan, alleges that the government "lacks the willingness" to count the exact number of manual scavengers.
From BBC ● Oct. 25, 2023
In 1969, Mr Pathak made a breakthrough in his research and designed a twin-pit toilet that freed thousands of manual scavengers from a life of cleaning excrement with their hands.
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2023
The law entitles manual scavengers to a one-time rehabilitation payment and a loan to help them transition to a new profession.
From Washington Post ● Dec. 15, 2019
