Employment Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

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employment

[ษชmหˆplษ”ษชmษ™nt ]

Definitions

Context #1 | Noun

finding a job

Employment refers to the state of having paid work.

Synonyms

job, occupation, work.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
employment

A formal and general term, often used in official or business settings to refer to the state of having paid work.

  • She is seeking employment in the tech industry
  • The report focuses on employment trends over the last decade
job

A common and less formal term used in everyday conversation to refer to a specific position of paid work.

  • I got a new job at the local store
  • What's your job? I'm a teacher
work

A general term that can refer to activities involving mental or physical effort, often used in both formal and informal contexts.

  • I have a lot of work to do today
  • He enjoys his work as an engineer
occupation

A formal term often used in questionnaires or documents to refer to someone's regular work or profession.

  • Please enter your occupation on this form
  • Her occupation as a doctor keeps her very busy

Examples of usage

  • Her employment at the company started last year.
  • Unemployment rates have been increasing due to the pandemic.
Context #2 | Noun

group of workers

Employment can also refer to the total number of people who are employed.

Synonyms

personnel, staff, workforce.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
employment

Refers to the state of having a paid job or the process of hiring someone.

  • She is seeking employment in the IT sector.
  • The company's employment policies are very strict.
workforce

Denotes the collective employees of a particular company, industry, or country, focusing on their role as a group.

  • The company is looking to expand its workforce.
  • Automation is impacting the global workforce.
staff

Refers to all the people employed by a particular organization, especially in an educational, medical, or business setting.

  • The hospital staff worked tirelessly through the night.
  • Our school staff meets every Friday to discuss the week's activities.
personnel

Used to refer to the employees or staff working in an organization, particularly in a formal or business context.

  • The company's personnel department handles all hiring processes.
  • All personnel are required to attend the training session.

Examples of usage

  • The country's employment rate has been steadily growing.
  • The government is working on policies to increase employment opportunities.

Translations

To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.

Origin of 'employment'

The word 'employment' originated from the Old French word 'empliement' which means 'provision of a job'. It has been used in the English language since the 15th century. Throughout history, the concept of employment has evolved with the development of societies, economies, and labor laws.


See also: employ, employed, employee, employees, employer, employing, misemploy, underemployment, unemployed, unemployment.

Word Frequency Rank

At #709 in the frequency ranking, this word is highly important for effective communication. It's commonly used in daily situations and should be prioritized in your vocabulary building.