workweek

American  

[wurk-week] / ˈwɜrkˌwik /

noun

1. the total number of regular working working hours or days in a week.

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workweek British  

/ ˈwɜːkˌwiːk /

noun

1. Also called (in Britain and certain other countries): working week.  the number of hours or days in a week actually or officially allocated to work

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Usage

What does workweek mean? The workweek is the span of (often five) days that are not the weekend—the days when many people work.The standard workweek is from Monday through Friday, with Saturday and Sunday being considered the weekend, though working schedules vary widely. Many full-time jobs consist of a 40-hour workweek (five eight-hour days). In this sense, the workweek consists of all the time spent working in a week.The workweek can also be called the working week. A day of the workweek can be called a workday.The word week can sometimes be used to refer to the workweek, as in I can’t wait for this week to be over so I can spend the weekend relaxing. (Otherwise, week most commonly refers to any period of seven consecutive days or to the seven-day period on the calendar that begins on Sunday and ends on Saturday).Example: I’m usually too busy to do any of my hobbies during the workweek, but that’s how I spend my weekends. 

Etymology

Origin of workweek

First recorded in 1920–25; work + week

Example Sentences

He said he felt worn down from 60-hour workweeks, with staggered schedules that would have him starting and finishing work at different times throughout the week.

From The Wall Street Journal

High temperatures are expected to hover between 75 to 85 degrees through the workweek, which is 10 to 20 degrees above normal, the weather service office in Oxnard said.

From Los Angeles Times

In the three months of harvest that brought them together, they endured six-day workweeks, picking mini watermelons and cantaloupes in summer temperatures that sometimes topped 100 degrees.

From Los Angeles Times

Labor-market indicators improved, pointing to small increases in employment and a longer average workweek, it noted.

From The Wall Street Journal

Other stories we feature include the rise and fall of the 40-hour workweek, the fermented-food boom and a reality check on antidepressants.

From The Wall Street Journal