BLUE-COLLAR

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does blue-collar mean? 

• BLUE-COLLAR (adjective)
  The adjective BLUE-COLLAR has 2 senses:

1. of or designating manual industrial work or workers

2. of those who work for wages especially manual or industrial laborers

  Familiarity information: BLUE-COLLAR used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• BLUE-COLLAR (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Of or designating manual industrial work or workers

Similar:

industrial (employed in industry)

manual (doing or requiring physical work)

wage-earning; working-class (working for hourly wages rather than fixed (e.g. annual) salaries)

Also:

unskilled (not having or showing or requiring special skill or proficiency)

Antonym:

white-collar (of or designating salaried professional or clerical work or workers)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Of those who work for wages especially manual or industrial laborers

Synonyms:

blue-collar; propertyless; wage-earning; working-class

Context example:

party of the propertyless proletariat

Similar:

low-class; lower-class (occupying the lowest socioeconomic position in a society)