Jobholders

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Individuals who hold a specific position of employment within an organization
2. People engaged in work roles that contribute to the functioning of a business or institution
3. Persons that occupy designated roles or responsibilities in a work environment

Etymology: "Jobholders" is the plural of "jobholder," a compound formed from "job" and "holder." The first element, "job," is of uncertain origin and first appeared in English in the 1500s, originally meaning a piece of work or a lump, before coming to mean paid employment. "Holder," from the verb "hold," describes someone who possesses or occupies something. Put together, a jobholder is simply someone who holds a job, which is why the term has long been used for people in ordinary paid positions rather than for the job itself.

Synonyms: employees, workers, staff, personnel, laborers

Antonyms: unemployed, jobless, laid-off, retired, vacant