sewing-machine operator

3.8

A person who uses a sewing machine to join cloth in a factory or workshop

noun
/ˈsoʊɪŋ məˌʃin ˈɑpəˌreɪtər/

: operador de máquina de coser

At the finer level of occupations, the work of both sewing machine operators and graders of agricultural products is nearly 100% automatable, while that of psychiatrists is between 0 and 10% automatable.
working as a sewing-machine operator

Examples

For two full years, he worked as a sewing machine operator.

Fiction book (2001)
Margot had lost the tips of her thumb and two fingers while working as a sewing machine operator, the only trade she had developed in Hungary.

Fiction book (1999)
As a skilled sewing-machine operator, she managed to produce hundreds of garments each day.
The factory hired ten new sewing-machine operators to meet the increasing demand for winter clothing.
After years of experience, Norm became a highly respected sewing-machine operator in the textile industry.

Synonyms

tailor

vssewing-machine operator

88 2.3

A person who makes or fixes clothes so they fit

works on machines in factories rather than bespoke clothing making and fitting

seamstress

vssewing-machine operator

25 3.6

A woman who sews clothes for a living

works at sewing machines in factories rather than tailoring or dressmaking

sewer

vssewing-machine operator

9 7.2

A person who makes and repairs clothes using needle and thread or a sewing machine

operates a sewing machine in a factory or workshop

quilter

vssewing-machine operator

3 3.7

A person who makes quilts by sewing pieces of fabric together

is the machine operator in factories rather than making quilts as craft

stitcher

vssewing-machine operator

1 3.4

A person or machine that sews pieces of cloth together

focuses on machine work in factory settings rather than varied stitching tasks

garment worker

vssewing-machine operator

1 2.6

A person who makes clothes in a factory or workshop

specializes in operating sewing machines rather than general factory garment tasks

needlewoman

vssewing-machine operator

Archaic

1 7.0

A woman who sews and fixes clothes for a living

uses factory sewing machines rather than hand sewing or small-scale work

seamer

vssewing-machine operator

6.2

A person or machine that sews pieces of material together

operates factory sewing machines rather than sealing equipment or machines

garmentmaker

vssewing-machine operator

4.9

A person who makes clothes by sewing

typically works on a machine in industrial settings rather than individual garment making

seamster

vssewing-machine operator

Archaic

9.1

A person who sews or fixes clothes for a living

performs machine-based sewing in production lines rather than personalized alteration

needleworker

vssewing-machine operator

5.1

A person who sews or embroiders by hand

focuses on operating powered machines in industrial settings not handcrafts

Surface Forms

sewing-machine operator singular

sewing-machine operators plural

Morphology

sewing-machine + operator

The meaning is directly and transparently derived from the constituents: 'sewing-machine' (a machine for sewing) + 'operator' (a worker who operates equipment), so it denotes a person who operates a sewing machine. This is a regular, compositional compound pattern (X + operator) common across languages, so a B1 learner who knows the parts will readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

Sewing-machine operator is a compound name for a worker who sits at a sewing machine and guides fabric to join pieces or make clothes. The parts sewing, machine, and operator create a clear picture: someone who 'sews' using a machine, so it simply means a person whose 'job' is to sew materials by machine.