WHITE-COLLAR

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does white-collar mean? 

• WHITE-COLLAR (adjective)
  The adjective WHITE-COLLAR has 1 sense:

1. of or designating salaried professional or clerical work or workers

  Familiarity information: WHITE-COLLAR used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• WHITE-COLLAR (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Of or designating salaried professional or clerical work or workers

Context example:

the coal miner's son aspired to a white-collar occupation as a bookkeeper

Similar:

clerical (appropriate for or engaged in office work)

professional (engaged in by members of a profession)

pink-collar (of or relating to a class of jobs once traditionally filled by women)

Also:

skilled (having or showing or requiring special skill)

Antonym:

blue-collar (of or designating manual industrial work or workers)

 Context examples 

In the study, researchers tracked more than 3,500 white-collar employees at three public institutions in Quebec over a five-year period.

(High Blood Pressure Liked to Long Hours on Job, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)