navvy
nav·vy
navvy · navvies
землекоп
землекоп
A laborer on a civil engineering project such as a canal or railroadA laborer on a civil engineering project such as a canal or railroad.
/ˈnævi/
Meaning
2 senses(UK, historical)A laborer on a civil engineering project such as a canal or railroad.
землеко́пzemlekóp
землеко́пzemlekóp
An unskilled laborer
a laborer who is obliged to do menial work
Translations
5 languagesУкраїнська
By meaning 1
laborer on a civil engineering project such as a canal or railroad:
Русский
By meaning 1
laborer on a civil engineering project such as a canal or railroad:
Origin
Clipping of navigator, in reference to the navigation canals upon which these workers firsClipping of navigator, in reference to the navigation canals upon which these workers first toiled, + -y.
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
plural: navviesSynonyms
3 synonymsClose in meaning
- a laborer who is obliged to do menial work:drudgepeongalley slave
Word family
3 related wordsDerivedsteam navvy