white-collar

adjective

white-col·​lar ˈ(h)wīt-ˈkä-lər 

: of, relating to, or constituting the class of salaried employees whose duties do not call for the wearing of work clothes or protective clothing compare blue-collar

Examples of white-collar in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

However, the current market conditions paint a sobering picture for white-collar professionals. —Jack Kelly, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025

About half of those who broke into the Capitol were white-collar workers. —CBS News, 5 Jan. 2025

For women, the retirement age will rise from 55 to 58 for white-collar workers and from 50 to 55 for blue-collar workers. —Micah McCartney, Newsweek, 2 Jan. 2025

While the company, its car dealers, factory workers and white-collar engineers were all urging Congress to back Chrysler, news outlets aired interviews with people who denounced the auto industry and criticized the company as unworthy of a government loan. —Phoebe Wall Howard, Detroit Free Press, 31 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1911, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

white-collar

adjective

ˈhwīt-ˈkäl-ər,

ˈwīt-

: of, relating to, or being a member of the class of workers (as clerks and salespersons) whose duties do not require the wearing of work clothes