Skip to the word

Added 5 October 2026

labour

/ˈleɪ.bə/ noun

Latin root: labor Wiktionary

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about labour at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

An effort expended on a particular task; toil, work.
That which requires hard work for its accomplishment; that which demands effort.
Workers in general; the working class, the workforce; sometimes specifically the labour movement, organised labour.

verb

To toil, to work.
To belabour, to emphasise or expand upon (a point in a debate, etc).
I think we've all got the idea. There's no need to labour the point.
To be oppressed with difficulties or disease; to do one's work under conditions which make it especially hard or wearisome; to move slowly, as against opposition, or under a burden.

Origin

From Middle English labor, labour, labur, from Old French labor (modern labeur) and its etymon, Latin labor.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

Back to today's word