labor-intensive

UK: ˌleɪ.bər.ɪnˈten.sɪv | US: ˌleɪ.bɚ.ɪnˈten.sɪv

Definition

  1. adj. requiring a large amount of labor or effort relative to output

  2. adj. (economics) involving high labor costs compared to capital or technology inputs

Structure
labor <work>intensive <concentrated>
Etymology

The term combines "labor" (from Latin labor, meaning "work, exertion") and "intensive" (from Latin intensus, "stretched tightly," later evolving to mean "concentrated or thorough"). The hyphenated form emerged in the early 20th century within economic discourse to describe processes where human effort outweighs mechanization. The logic reflects a contrast with "capital-intensive" systems, highlighting reliance on manual work.

Examples

  1. Agriculture in developing countries often remains labor-intensive due to limited access to machinery.

  2. Handcrafted products are typically more labor-intensive but valued for their quality.

  3. The shift from labor-intensive to automated manufacturing reduced production costs significantly.

  4. Labor-intensive industries like textiles face challenges in competing with automated alternatives.

  5. Restoring the historic building proved labor-intensive, requiring thousands of hours of skilled work.