labor
UK[ˈleɪbə(r)]US[ˈleɪbər]
n
Work, especially physical work
n
The people who do the work for a company or country, considered as a group
v
To work hard, especially doing physical work
v
To move or proceed with difficulty
Etymology
The English word 'labor' was borrowed in the late 14th century from Old French 'labour', which itself derived from Latin 'labor', meaning 'toil, exertion, hardship, pain'. The Latin term is of uncertain origin, though it may be related to the Proto-Indo-European root leb-, meaning 'to be weak, to hang down loosely', suggesting a connection between strenuous effort and resulting fatigue. This etymological journey reflects a semantic narrowing from a broad sense of hardship and suffering to a more specific focus on physical or mental exertion. The modern meanings retain the core concept of demanding effort, whether applied to an individual's toil, a collective workforce, or a difficult struggle.
Analysis
The word 'labor' is a simplex word borrowed from Latin. It cannot be meaningfully segmented into smaller, independent morphemes within its current English spelling.
Examples
The construction project required months of hard labor.
The new policy was opposed by organized labor.
The old truck labored up the steep hill.