navvy

[ nav-ee ]

noun

, British Informal.

, plural nav·vies.

1. an unskilled manual laborer.

navvy

/ ˈnævɪ /

noun

1. informal.
   a labourer on a building site, excavations, etc

Word History and Origins

Origin of navvy¹

First recorded in 1825–35; short for navigator

Word History and Origins

Origin of navvy¹

C19: shortened from navigator, builder of a navigation (sense 4)

Example Sentences

You have worked him like a navvy, and never given him enough pocket money to keep him in tobacco even.

From Project Gutenberg

It is not the clodhopper, the navvy or the labourer, the careless or the incompetent, who suffer from them.

From Project Gutenberg

Most persons from the navvy to the king feel tired when their days work is finished, but this does not worry them.

From Project Gutenberg

Jim sat on his horse and Navvy appeared riding up to the hollow, leading the saddle horses.

From Project Gutenberg

Jim, who always wanted Navvy to be a dead Indian, looked profoundly sorry.

From Project Gutenberg