blue-collar \ˈ ̷ ̷| ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷\adjective Etymology: so called from the contrast of the typically blue collars of work shirts to the typically white collars of dress shirts : belonging or relating to a broad class of wage earners whose duties call for the wearing of work clothes or protective clothing < warehousemen, longshoremen, farmers, miners, mechanics, construction workers, and other blue-collar workers — W.J.Hudson > — compare white-collar