laborist
|la-bor-ist|
🇺🇸
/ˈleɪbərɪst/
🇬🇧
/ˈleɪbəɹɪst/
person associated with labor
Etymology
'laborist' is formed in English from 'labor' + the agent suffix '-ist'; 'labor' ultimately comes from Latin 'labor' meaning 'work' and the suffix '-ist' denotes 'one who practices or is concerned with'.
'labor' entered English via Old French/Middle English ('labour') from Latin 'labor'; the compound form combining 'labor' and '-ist' (as in 'laborist') is a relatively modern English coinage, appearing in the 20th century (parallel to formations like 'pianist', 'dentist'). The British spelling 'labour' underlies the variant 'labourist'.
The components originally referred broadly to 'work' and 'one who practices'; over time the coinage 'laborist' came to denote specific roles — e.g., a hospital-based obstetrician or a political supporter of the Labour party — rather than just 'someone who works'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a physician (often an obstetrician) who works in-hospital providing continuous labor and delivery coverage — a hospital-based specialist for childbirth.
The hospital hired a laborist to provide 24-hour coverage for labor and delivery.
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Noun 2
a supporter or member of a Labour/Labor political party or of the labor movement (esp. in contexts like Australia, the UK, or historical usage).
As a committed laborist, she campaigned for stronger worker protections.
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Last updated: 2025/11/01 21:55