Added 2 October 2026
work
/wɜː(ɹ)k/ noun
In Latin: labor Wiktionary
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about work at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
verb
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To do a specific task by employing physical or mental powers.
He's working in a bar.
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Said of one's workplace (building), or one's department, or one's trade (sphere of business) .mw-parser-output .object-usage-tag{font-style:italic}.mw-parser-output .deprecated{color:var(--wikt-palette-grey-lime-8,olivedrab)}[with in or at].
I work in a national park.
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Said of one's job title [with as].
I work as a cleaner.
Origin
From Middle English work, werk, from Old English weorc, from Proto-West Germanic *werk, from Proto-Germanic *werką (“work”), from Proto-Indo-European *wérǵom (“work”), from Proto-Indo-European *werǵ- (“to make”).
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)