"-work" meaning in English

See -work in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Suffix

Etymology: From Middle English -work, -werk, from Old English -weorc, -ġeweorc, equivalent to English work. Compare also Saterland Frisian -werk, Dutch -werk, German -werk, Norwegian -verk. Etymology templates: {{inh|en|enm|-work}} Middle English -work, {{inh|en|ang|weorc|-weorc}} Old English -weorc, {{cog|en|work}} English work, {{cog|stq|-werk}} Saterland Frisian -werk, {{cog|nl|-werk}} Dutch -werk, {{cog|de|-werk}} German -werk, {{cog|no|-verk}} Norwegian -verk Head templates: {{head|en|suffix|cat2=noun-forming suffixes|cat3=|cat4=|head=|id=}} -work, {{en-suffix|cat2=noun-forming suffixes}} -work
  1. Denoting a craft involving a particular material, tool, or practitioner Tags: morpheme Synonyms: -craft
    Sense id: en--work-en-suffix-hJZq~tNU Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, Pages using catfix, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 30 35 35 Disambiguation of Pages using catfix: 25 36 39 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 29 35 37 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 27 35 38
  2. Denoting a structure or work of art crafted chiefly from a given material Tags: morpheme Related terms: wright
    Sense id: en--work-en-suffix-dYnZE98Z Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, Pages using catfix, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 30 35 35 Disambiguation of Pages using catfix: 25 36 39 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 29 35 37 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 27 35 38
  3. Denoting the structure or mechanism of a given object. Tags: morpheme
    Sense id: en--work-en-suffix-JyQjkeUy Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, Pages using catfix, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 30 35 35 Disambiguation of Pages using catfix: 25 36 39 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 29 35 37 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 27 35 38
{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "-work"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English -work",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "weorc",
        "4": "-weorc"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English -weorc",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "work"
      },
      "expansion": "English work",
      "name": "cog"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "stq",
        "2": "-werk"
      },
      "expansion": "Saterland Frisian -werk",
      "name": "cog"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "nl",
        "2": "-werk"
      },
      "expansion": "Dutch -werk",
      "name": "cog"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "-werk"
      },
      "expansion": "German -werk",
      "name": "cog"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "no",
        "2": "-verk"
      },
      "expansion": "Norwegian -verk",
      "name": "cog"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle English -work, -werk, from Old English -weorc, -ġeweorc, equivalent to English work. Compare also Saterland Frisian -werk, Dutch -werk, German -werk, Norwegian -verk.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "suffix",
        "cat2": "noun-forming suffixes",
        "cat3": "",
        "cat4": "",
        "head": "",
        "id": ""
      },
      "expansion": "-work",
      "name": "head"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "cat2": "noun-forming suffixes"
      },
      "expansion": "-work",
      "name": "en-suffix"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "suffix",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "30 35 35",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "25 36 39",
          "kind": "other",
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          "source": "w+disamb"
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        {
          "_dis": "29 35 37",
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        {
          "_dis": "27 35 38",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "masonwork"
        },
        {
          "text": "metalwork"
        },
        {
          "text": "needlework"
        },
        {
          "text": "woodwork"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Denoting a craft involving a particular material, tool, or practitioner"
      ],
      "id": "en--work-en-suffix-hJZq~tNU",
      "links": [
        [
          "craft",
          "craft"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "-craft"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "morpheme"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "30 35 35",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
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        {
          "_dis": "25 36 39",
          "kind": "other",
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          "source": "w+disamb"
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        {
          "_dis": "29 35 37",
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        {
          "_dis": "27 35 38",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "ironwork"
        },
        {
          "text": "paintwork"
        },
        {
          "text": "stonework"
        },
        {
          "text": "waxwork"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Denoting a structure or work of art crafted chiefly from a given material"
      ],
      "id": "en--work-en-suffix-dYnZE98Z",
      "links": [
        [
          "structure",
          "structure"
        ]
      ],
      "related": [
        {
          "_dis1": "0 100 0",
          "word": "wright"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "morpheme"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "30 35 35",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "25 36 39",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages using catfix",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "29 35 37",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 1 entry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "27 35 38",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "bridgework"
        },
        {
          "text": "clockwork"
        },
        {
          "text": "coachwork"
        },
        {
          "text": "latticework"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Denoting the structure or mechanism of a given object."
      ],
      "id": "en--work-en-suffix-JyQjkeUy",
      "links": [
        [
          "mechanism",
          "mechanism"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "morpheme"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "-work"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English noun-forming suffixes",
    "English suffixes",
    "English terms derived from Middle English",
    "English terms derived from Old English",
    "English terms inherited from Middle English",
    "English terms inherited from Old English",
    "Pages using catfix",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries"
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
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      "expansion": "Middle English -work",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "weorc",
        "4": "-weorc"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English -weorc",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "work"
      },
      "expansion": "English work",
      "name": "cog"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "stq",
        "2": "-werk"
      },
      "expansion": "Saterland Frisian -werk",
      "name": "cog"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "nl",
        "2": "-werk"
      },
      "expansion": "Dutch -werk",
      "name": "cog"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "-werk"
      },
      "expansion": "German -werk",
      "name": "cog"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "no",
        "2": "-verk"
      },
      "expansion": "Norwegian -verk",
      "name": "cog"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle English -work, -werk, from Old English -weorc, -ġeweorc, equivalent to English work. Compare also Saterland Frisian -werk, Dutch -werk, German -werk, Norwegian -verk.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
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        "1": "en",
        "2": "suffix",
        "cat2": "noun-forming suffixes",
        "cat3": "",
        "cat4": "",
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      },
      "expansion": "-work",
      "name": "head"
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    {
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        "cat2": "noun-forming suffixes"
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  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "suffix",
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      "word": "wright"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "masonwork"
        },
        {
          "text": "metalwork"
        },
        {
          "text": "needlework"
        },
        {
          "text": "woodwork"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Denoting a craft involving a particular material, tool, or practitioner"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "craft",
          "craft"
        ]
      ],
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        {
          "word": "-craft"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "morpheme"
      ]
    },
    {
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "ironwork"
        },
        {
          "text": "paintwork"
        },
        {
          "text": "stonework"
        },
        {
          "text": "waxwork"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Denoting a structure or work of art crafted chiefly from a given material"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "structure",
          "structure"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "morpheme"
      ]
    },
    {
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "bridgework"
        },
        {
          "text": "clockwork"
        },
        {
          "text": "coachwork"
        },
        {
          "text": "latticework"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Denoting the structure or mechanism of a given object."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "mechanism",
          "mechanism"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "morpheme"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "-work"
}

Download raw JSONL data for -work meaning in English (2.3kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2025-12-26 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2025-12-20 using wiktextract (cdfa371 and 9905b1f). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.