workforce English · revision 14925

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=1866}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /ˈwɜːk.fɔːs/, US /ˈwɝːk.fɔːrs/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a compound, [[af|en|work|force]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Workers collectively: 1866 in Merriam-Webster,^(MWU 2024) and by 1947 in Etymonline.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ An older word, workfolk (late 15th century), meant farm labourers.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * late 15th century – workfolk.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1866 – workforce.^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # All the workers employed by a company or on a job or project.^(Collins 2023)

+ # All the people available for work in a country or area: ''the country's workforce is growing''.^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[work]]

+ * [[force]]

+ * [[labour force]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}