child labour: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Formal, Academic, Legal, Journalistic
Quick answer
What does “child labour” mean?
The employment of children in work that is harmful to their physical and mental development, deprives them of childhood, and is often exploitative.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The employment of children in work that is harmful to their physical and mental development, deprives them of childhood, and is often exploitative.
Historically, the systematic use of children in industry, agriculture, or domestic service, often under dangerous conditions, for little or no pay. In modern contexts, it refers to any work performed by a child that interferes with their education or is mentally, physically, socially, or morally harmful.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling: 'labour' (UK) vs. 'labor' (US). The concept and usage are identical. Pronunciation differs slightly due to the spelling.
Connotations
Identical strong negative connotations in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally frequent in serious discourse in both regions. Slightly more common in UK spelling globally due to UN/ILO documentation often using UK English.
Grammar
How to Use “child labour” in a Sentence
[Verb] + child labour (e.g., abolish, prohibit, eradicate)child labour + [Verb] (e.g., child labour exists, persists, declined)[Adjective] + child labour (e.g., widespread, rampant, exploitative)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “child labour” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The charity works to child-labour-proof supply chains.
- Companies are pressured not to child-labour.
American English
- The bill aims to child-labor-proof imports.
- NGOs monitor farms to ensure they do not child-labor.
adverb
British English
- The goods were produced child-labour-freely.
American English
- The mine was operating child-labor-heavily.
adjective
British English
- child-labour-tainted cocoa
- a child-labour-free certification
American English
- child-labor-related violations
- a child-labor-sensitive policy
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) reports: 'The company audits its supply chain to ensure it is free from child labour.'
Academic
Used in sociology, economics, and law: 'The study correlates poverty levels with the prevalence of child labour.'
Everyday
Used in news discussions or ethical debates: 'I only buy chocolate certified to be made without child labour.'
Technical
Used in ILO (International Labour Organization) conventions: 'Convention No. 182 concerns the prohibition and immediate action for the elimination of the worst forms of child labour.'
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “child labour”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “child labour”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “child labour”
- Using it as a countable noun (e.g., 'a child labour' – incorrect).
- Misspelling: 'child labor' in a UK context or 'child labour' in a strict US academic paper might be marked.
- Using it to refer to simple household chores or a teenager's part-time job with legal protections.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. 'Child labour' specifically refers to exploitative, harmful, or illegal work that interferes with a child's education and development. Light, legal work by older teenagers with proper protections is not classified as child labour.
In technical contexts (e.g., ILO), 'child labour' is a subset of 'child work' that is harmful. Not all work done by children is considered 'labour' in the negative sense; some light, age-appropriate work can be permissible.
It follows the general spelling convention: UK English uses '-our' (labour, colour) while US English uses '-or' (labor, color). The word 'child' remains the same.
Yes, commonly in compound modifiers like 'child-labour laws' or 'child-labour issue'. It is typically hyphenated when used attributively before a noun.
The employment of children in work that is harmful to their physical and mental development, deprives them of childhood, and is often exploitative.
Child labour is usually formal, academic, legal, journalistic in register.
Child labour: in British English it is pronounced /ˈtʃaɪld ˌleɪ.bə(r)/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈtʃaɪld ˌleɪ.bɚ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “To be born into (child) labour”
- “A life of labour from the cradle”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: CHILD (young, should be learning and playing) + LABOUR (hard, adult work). The combination creates a clash, highlighting the injustice.
Conceptual Metaphor
CHILDREN AS COMMODITIES / RESOURCES (exploited for economic gain), CHILDHOOD AS A FACTORY (a place of production instead of growth).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the most accurate description of 'child labour' in its standard use?