Shirkers
/ˈʃɜːr.kərz/noun
People who avoid work, duty, or responsibility.
Did you know?“Shirk” is a verb that appears in English in the 17th century and is often linked to an older Germanic idea of something twisted or warped, which is why its history feels like a semantic escape hatch rather than a clean origin.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*skirk- / *skerk-
“A proposed Germanic base with the sense of turning aside or being warped”
Middle English
EN
schirke / shirk
“To evade, dodge, or slip away from duty”
17th Century
EN
shirk
“To avoid work or responsibility by sneaking away from it”
19th Century
EN
shirker
“A person who evades duty or labor”
Modern English
EN
shirkers
“People who avoid work, duty, or responsibility”