a basic unit of work in an industrial process used to analyse and achieve economy of motion
therblig in American English
(ˈθɜːrblɪɡ)
noun
(in time and motion study)
any of the basic elements involved in completing a given manual operation or task that can be subjected to analysis
Word origin
[1930–35, Amer.; anagram of F. B. Gilbreth (1868–1924), American engineer]This word is first recorded in the period 1930–35. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: kickback, old school tie, saddle stitch, technical foul, video