white-collar

American  

[hwahyt-kol-er, wahyt-] / ˈʰwaɪtˈkɒl ər, ˈwaɪt- /

adjective

1. belonging or pertaining to the ranks of office and professional workers whose jobs generally do not involve manual labor or the wearing of a uniform or work clothes.

---

noun

1. a white-collar worker.

white-collar British  

adjective

1. of, relating to, or designating nonmanual and usually salaried workers employed in professional and clerical occupations Compare blue-collar pink-collar

   white-collar union

---

white-collar Cultural  

1. A descriptive term for office workers, who use a minimum of physical exertion, as opposed to blue-collar laborers. Managerial, clerical, and sales jobs are common white-collar occupations.

---

Etymology

Origin of white-collar

First recorded in 1920–25

Compare meaning

How does white-collar compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• blue-collar vs. white-collar

Example Sentences

Hsu is also facing a white collar crime enhancement alleging tax losses of more than $500,000, according to the complaint.

From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2026

He appeared on-screen in a black robe with a white collar, seated at a desk surrounded by books.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026

Big companies have already been laying off thousands of white collar workers over the past year, in some cases pointing to increased efficiency created by AI.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026

It is unlikely the police will hold Andrew overnight, as typically with arrests relating to white collar crime, people are held for a few hours to allow for searches and initial questioning.

From BBC • Feb. 19, 2026

A big tall whitehaired man with a backward turn white collar, a little dumpty woman with her gray hair in plaits cross on top her head.

From "The Color Purple" by Alice Walker

Related Words

• clerical
• salaried