Work
/wɜːrk/noun
Activity involving mental or physical effort done in order to achieve a purpose or result.
Did you know?The Old English word for 'work' is 'weorc', which was often associated with toil and hardship, reflecting its deep roots in labor and suffering.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*werg-
“to do, to work, to make an effort”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἔργον (ergon)
“a deed or act, often implying labor or work”
Old English
Old English
weorc
“a deed, action, or labor, often with a connotation of suffering or toil”
Middle English
Middle English
werk
“effort, labor, or a task, emphasizing the idea of physical or mental exertion”
Modern English
English
work
“the general activity of doing tasks or labor, derived from earlier meanings of effort and toil.”