Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun plural Laborers, especially farm workers.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Persons engaged in manual labor; workpeople.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun People that labor.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun People who labour.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

work +‎ folk

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word workfolk.

Examples

  • Indeed, have the threats not been but too well realised and are not great masses of the workfolk wholly homeless.

    Fr. McNabb Speaks - Toward Social Thinking 2007

  • In old times there were bailiffs to look after the workfolk, foremen to look after the tradesmen, a building-steward to look after the foremen, a land-steward to look after the building-steward, and a dashing grand agent to look after the land-steward: fine times they had then, I assure ye.

    The Hand of Ethelberta 2006

  • My Republican workfolk were mostly swayed by their fear and assumption that Bush=fiscal responsibility seems a little shady, if you ask me; they just don't think the social issues are as important.

    election day! hothead 2004

  • But it was because she valued it that she wanted it spent for God, not hoarded up with the rest of a property large enough to provide handsomely even without it for herself and all her kinsfolk and workfolk.

    The Rose Rent Peters, Ellis, 1913-1995 1986

  • In front of us was a broad, grassy course marked off with garlanded finger-posts, and in this space rallies of workfolk were taking part in all manner of games under the eyes of a great concourse of spectators, doing the Martians 'pleasures for them as they did their labours.

    Gulliver of Mars 1905

  • In front of us was a broad, grassy course marked off with garlanded finger-posts, and in this space rallies of workfolk were taking part in all manner of games under the eyes of a great concourse of spectators, doing the Martians 'pleasures for them as they did their labours.

    Gulliver of Mars Edwin Lester Linden Arnold 1896

  • The other workfolk were by this time all gathered under the rick, where the loose straw formed a comfortable retreat.

    Tess of the d'Urbervilles 1891

  • Tess waited outside the door of the farmhouse till the group of workfolk had received their wages, and then Marian introduced her.

    Tess of the d'Urbervilles 1891

  • The voices and laughs of the workfolk eating and drinking under the rick came to her as if they were a quarter of a mile off.

    Tess of the d'Urbervilles 1891

  • The labourers -- or 'workfolk,' as they used to call themselves immemorially till the other word was introduced from without -- who wish to remain no longer in old places are removing to the new farms.

    Tess of the d'Urbervilles 1891

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.