homeworker: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
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Quick answer
What does “homeworker” mean?
A person who works from their own home, especially for a company.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A person who works from their own home, especially for a company.
A worker who performs tasks for an employer or contractor from their own residence, as opposed to a traditional office; historically also refers to someone engaged in piecework at home.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the UK, 'homeworker' is more commonly used to describe remote workers in professional and administrative roles. In the US, 'telecommuter' or 'remote worker' is often preferred, while 'homeworker' can retain a stronger association with manual piecework.
Connotations
UK: Modern, professional, flexible. US: Can sound slightly dated or refer specifically to manual piecework.
Frequency
The term is used in both varieties but is more frequent in UK English. 'Remote worker' is a more common hypernym in both.
Grammar
How to Use “homeworker” in a Sentence
[be/become/employ as] a homeworker[company/agency] employs homeworkersVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “homeworker” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The company plans to homeworker more of its administrative staff.
American English
- The firm is increasingly homeworkering its customer service team.
adverb
British English
- No standard adverbial form.
American English
- No standard adverbial form.
adjective
British English
- She secured a homeworker position with a tech startup.
American English
- They discussed homeworker arrangements during the contract negotiation.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in HR, management, and policy documents to classify a category of employee.
Academic
Appears in sociology, labour economics, and business studies discussing flexible work arrangements.
Everyday
Common in job advertisements and discussions about work-life balance.
Technical
Less common in IT; 'remote user' or 'remote node' are preferred for system access contexts.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “homeworker”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “homeworker”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “homeworker”
- Confusing 'homeworker' (noun) with 'homework' (uncountable noun for school tasks).
- Using 'homeworker' to refer to a student doing homework.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is standardly written as one word: homeworker.
A homeworker is typically an employee of a specific company but works from home. A freelancer is self-employed, works for multiple clients, and may or may not work from home.
Yes, absolutely. The term applies to anyone working from home for an employer, from data entry clerks to software developers and financial analysts.
In modern, professional contexts, no. However, in historical or certain industrial contexts, it can imply low-wage, precarious piecework.
A person who works from their own home, especially for a company.
Homeworker is usually neutral in register.
Homeworker: in British English it is pronounced /ˈhəʊmˌwɜːkə/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈhoʊmˌwɜːrkər/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “No common idioms specific to 'homeworker'.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: A worker whose HOME is their WORKplace.
Conceptual Metaphor
HOME AS OFFICE (The domestic space is conceptualised as a professional workspace).
Practice
Quiz
What is the most common modern meaning of 'homeworker'?