adjective
blue-collar
bloo KOL-uhr
Blue-collar (adjective) means relating to manual, industrial or skilled trade work, or to the people who do it. Example: “The town depends on blue-collar jobs in shipping and haulage.”
adjective
1
Relating to manual, industrial or skilled trade work, or to the people who do it.
"The town depends on blue-collar jobs in shipping and haulage."
"He came from a blue-collar family in the Midlands."
2
informal Plain, hard-working and unpretentious in style or attitude.
"The team plays a blue-collar brand of football: no flair, plenty of running."
How to use blue-collar
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo do with people who do practical, hands-on jobs.
When to use it
Neutral and descriptive, and often used with pride; more common in American than British English.
Memory tip
Hyphenate before a noun: a blue-collar job. Many writers drop the hyphen after a verb: the work is blue collar.
Trace the full origin ↓
Easily confused with
Common pairings
blue-collar worker
blue-collar job
blue-collar town
blue-collar background
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The town depends on _____ jobs in shipping and haulage.
Etymology
From the hard-wearing blue shirts and overalls traditionally worn for manual work, which showed dirt less than white shirts.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for blue-collar
See all rhymes for blue-collar →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between blue-collar and white-collar work?
Blue-collar work is manual, technical or industrial, done on sites, in factories or on the road, and is often paid hourly. White-collar work is office-based and administrative or professional, and is usually salaried. The labels come from the clothing each group traditionally wore, not from skill level or income, and many blue-collar trades now out-earn office roles.
Is blue-collar an insult?
No. It is a plain description of the kind of work someone does, and it is frequently used approvingly to mean hard-working and down to earth. It only sounds insulting when a speaker uses it as a stand-in for uneducated.
What is the meaning of blue-collar?
"blue-collar" (adjective) means relating to manual, industrial or skilled trade work, or to the people who do it.
What is another word for blue-collar?
Other words for "blue-collar" include working-class, manual, industrial, hands-on.
