job
Job (noun) means a paid position of regular employment. Example: “She finally landed a job at the local hospital.”
How to use job
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishMost commonly, paid work or employment — but also any task, and informally a robbery.
Job (lowercase) meaning work is unrelated to Job the biblical figure — the connection is coincidental spelling, not etymology.
Word forms
jobbed past tense, jobbed past tense, jobs plural, jobs plural, Jobs plural, jobs singular, jobs singular
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She finally landed a _____ at the local hospital.
Etymology
From the Middle English phrase "jobbe of work" (a piece of work); ultimate origin uncertain.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “job” mean?
The word “job” means a paid position of regular employment. In plain terms, most commonly, paid work or employment — but also any task, and informally a robbery.
How do you pronounce “job”?
“Job” is pronounced job (/dʒɑb/ in IPA).
How do you use “job” in a sentence?
Here is “job” used in a sentence: “She finally landed a job at the local hospital.”
What part of speech is “job”?
Depending on how it is used, “job” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “job” come from?
The word “job” comes from Middle English. From the Middle English phrase "jobbe of work" (a piece of work); ultimate origin uncertain.
Is “job” a common word?
“Job” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “job” have?
“Job” has 5 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a paid position of regular employment.
What is the difference between a job and a career?
A job is a specific paid position — the particular role you hold, such as a cashier or a nurse. A career is the longer path of professional life, often spanning many jobs in the same field over years. You can change jobs several times while building a single career.
What is the difference between a job and work?
A job is a specific paid position of regular employment. 'Work' is the broader activity or effort itself, which can exist with or without pay — housework and volunteering are work but not jobs. In short, a job is something you have, while work is something you do.
What are the main types of job?
Jobs are often grouped by hours and arrangement: full-time and part-time roles, temporary or seasonal positions, permanent posts, and freelance or contract work. They can also be described by pay structure — salaried or hourly — or by field, such as manual, office, skilled, or professional work.
What is an example of a job?
Common examples include teacher, nurse, electrician, driver, shop assistant, and software developer. Each is a paid position of regular employment with defined duties and set hours. Almost any role someone is paid to do on an ongoing basis — from farming to accountancy — counts as a job.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include job: