CultureAugust 27, 2026

sweatshop

SWET-shop

Definition

A factory or workplace where employees are subjected to exploitative conditions, such as long hours, low wages, and unsafe environments.

Etymology

Originating in late 19th-century America, the term was coined to describe workers toiling in cramped, hot, and poorly ventilated rooms, literally a shop where the workers sweat.

In the news

The article uses the term to describe a scandal involving Miranda Priestly, serving as a plot device that forces her to deal with serious contemporary ethical issues.

Meryl Streep to kick off new season for Watchet Community Cinema

Read the full article ↗

West Somerset Free Press

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