labor
Also spelled labour (UK spelling)
Labor (noun) means Work, especially hard physical work; also the workers of a country or industry considered as a group. Example: “Building the stone wall meant months of back-breaking labor.”
noun
1
Work, especially hard physical work; also the workers of a country or industry considered as a group.
"Building the stone wall meant months of back-breaking labor."
"Skilled labor is hard to find in this small town."
"The union argued that labor deserves a fair share of the profits."
verb
1
To work hard, or to struggle to do something difficult.
"The farmers labored in the fields from dawn until dusk."
"He labored over the essay for hours without finding the right words."
"The old engine labored as it climbed the steep hill."
name
1
A surname of French origin, a variant of Labarre.
"Labor was listed among the early settlers of the region."
Easily confused with
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like labor.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Building the stone wall meant months of back-breaking _____.
Etymology
A variant of Labarre.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for labor
See all rhymes for labor →Frequently asked questions
What does “Labor” mean?
The word “Labor” means a surname of French origin, a variant of Labarre.
How do you use “Labor” in a sentence?
Here is “Labor” used in a sentence: “Labor was listed among the early settlers of the region.”
What part of speech is “Labor”?
“Labor” is a name.
Is “Labor” a common word?
“Labor” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
Where does the surname Labor come from?
Labor is a family name of French origin. It developed as a variant of Labarre, an older French surname, and belongs to the group of names carried by families with roots in French-speaking regions. Like many surnames, its spelling shifted over generations as families moved and records were transcribed.
Is the surname Labor related to the word for work?
Although it is spelled the same as the common word 'labor' meaning work, the surname has a separate history. As a family name it comes from the French Labarre rather than from the English or Latin word for effort. The identical spelling is a coincidence of language, not a shared origin.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include labor:
