work-clothes

2.8

Clothes you wear to do physical work that are strong and protect you

noun
/wɜrk kloʊðz/

: ropa de trabajo

Her work-clothes were stained with paint after a long day on the job.

Examples

I need to buy some new work-clothes.
He changed into his work-clothes before heading out to repair the fence.
The factory required all employees to wear protective work-clothes during their shifts.
These work-clothes are really durable.
Many factory workers wear work-clothes that are both durable and comfortable.
He bought a new pair of work-clothes to replace his old, worn-out ones.
For safety reasons, it's important to choose proper work-clothes when doing construction jobs.

Synonyms

work clothes

vswork-clothes

11 1.6

Clothes you wear for hard, dirty jobs that protect you and last a long time

is the hyphenated, slightly more technical label for that same clothing

workwear

vswork-clothes

1 3.7

Clothes that are strong and useful for physical jobs like construction

is the hyphenated everyday phrase rather than an industry or product name

work-clothing

vswork-clothes

3.0

Clothes people wear to protect them during physical work

is the hyphenated common everyday label rather than a formal phrase

work clothing

vswork-clothes

2.6

Clothes you wear for hard jobs that protect you and are strong

is the hyphenated form that highlights the clothing as designed for work

How Practical

protective garment

1 3.9

to coverall

4.4

work-clothes

2.8

Surface Forms

work-clothes singular

work-clothes plural

Morphology

work-clothes = work + clothes (transparent) = work + clothes

The meaning is directly composed from 'work' + 'clothes': clothing intended for working, which a learner who knows both words can infer.

Etymology

Work-clothes is made of work ('doing a job') and clothes ('garments'), so it simply means the clothes you wear while working. Think of an apron or overalls you put on to protect your good clothes — that's why work-clothes are usually durable and practical.