worker

/ˈwɜː.kə/

//ˈwɜː.kə// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"worker" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“worker” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #3,461 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#3,461
frequency rank, English
6
letters
9
tracked misspellings
18
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - One who works: a person who performs labor for a living; traditionally, especially, manual labor.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

worker vs works
67% similar
worker vs worse
67% similar
worker vs worsen
67% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for worker
PropertyValue
Headwordworker
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈwɜː.kə/
Letters6
Frequency rank#3,461
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs18
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “worker” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). worker lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for worker is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈwɜː.kə/. Corpus data places it at rank #3,461 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for worker, with forms such as "owrker", "wokrer", and "worekr". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 18 confusable-pair relationships, "works", "worse", "worsen", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English werkere, worcher, wercher, equivalent to work + -er. Displaced the older term wright, from Old English wyrhta. The correct English form is worker, spelled W-O-R-K-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    One who works: a person who performs labor for a living; traditionally, especially, manual labor.
  2. 2
    A nonreproductive social insect, such as ant, bee, termite, or wasp.
  3. 3
    A nonreproductive social insect, such as ant, bee, termite, or wasp.
  4. 4
    A thread performing one instance of a particular task within a program.

Etymology

From Middle English werkere, worcher, wercher, equivalent to work + -er. Displaced the older term wright, from Old English wyrhta.

Synonyms

proletarianworker

Antonyms

bosschiefdirectoremployerleadermanageridlerscrounger

This word in other languages

trabajador(Español)travailleur(Français)Arbeiter(Deutsch)trabalhador(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: owrker,wokrer,worekr,workerr,workker,workre,worrker,wroker,wworker

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of worker - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

owrker2wokrer2worekr2workerr1workker1workre2worrker1wroker2
Edit distance from "worker"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "worker"?
"worker" is spelled W-O-R-K-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈwɜː.kə/.
What does "worker" mean?
As a noun, "worker" means: One who works: a person who performs labor for a living; traditionally, especially, manual labor.
What words are commonly confused with "worker"?
"worker" is commonly confused with "works", "worse", "worsen". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "worker"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "worker" is /ˈwɜː.kə/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "worker"?
From Middle English werkere, worcher, wercher, equivalent to work + -er. Displaced the older term wright, from Old English wyrhta. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “worker”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is W-O-R-K-E-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈwɜː.kə/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “works” - see the side-by-side comparison. worker vs works
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list