Word
contractor
Phoneticscon·trac·tor
US/ˈkɑnˌtɹæktɝ/
UK/kəntɹˈæktɐ/
Definitions
01construction/building
n. a person or company that manages a building project or does specific work like plumbing or electrical tasks.
n. a professional or firm that undertakes a contract to provide materials and labour for a construction project.
“The contractor promised that the new kitchen would be finished by the end of the month.”
“The general contractor coordinated several teams of electricians and plumbers to ensure the office renovation met the strict safety codes.”
Usage
often used with 'independent' or 'general' to specify the scope of work.
Synonyms
02freelance/temporary worker
n. someone hired by a company to do a specific job for a limited time, rather than being a permanent employee.
n. an individual hired on a fixed-term basis to perform professional services, operating as an external entity rather than a staff member.
“The software company hired a contractor to help them finish the new app.”
“By hiring an independent contractor instead of a full-time developer, the startup managed to reduce its long-term overhead costs during the initial launch phase.”
Formal
Usage
frequently appears in the phrase 'independent contractor' for legal and tax purposes.
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“BHP has 44,254 employees and contractors in Australia, and 30,892 workers in Chile, representing the bulk of its global workforce.” “She added that the company was aware of a number of incidents of abuse directed at staff and contractors.” Etymology
Borrowed from Late Latin contractor, from Latin contract-, stem of contractus + -tor. First attested in the 16th century.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
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englishreference.com/q/contractor