manpower

English

Etymology

From man +‎ power.

Pronunciation

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Noun

manpower (uncountable)

1. The total number of all available workers; the workforce.

   Synonym: humanpower

   Near-synonyms: human resources, personnel

   phased increases in manpower

   • 1944 July and August, “Notes and News: Crystal Palace Line Closed”, in Railway Magazine, page 248:

     The closure is stated officially to be solely due to the manpower position.

   • 1959 May, “Talking of Trains: L.M. passenger plan coming”, in Trains Illustrated, page 233:

     Since manpower represents so high a proportion of railway costs, attention by management to the study of work procedures with a view to better utilisation of—"and indeed greater rewards for"—the manpower employed was of special importance, said Mr. Blee.

2. The power exerted by a single person.

   Synonym: humanpower

   Coordinate terms: horsepower, donkey power

   canals dug entirely by manpower

Related terms

• human-powered
• man-powered, manpowered

Translations

workforce — see labour force

power exerted by a single person

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: please add this translation if you can

• Finnish: ihmisvoima, miesvoima
• Galician: man de obra (gl)
• Irish: ^{(please verify)} fearchumhacht f
• Italian: manodopera (it) f, forza lavoro (it) f
• Polish: siła ludzkich mięśni f
• Spanish: mano de obra (es) f

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• French: ^{(please verify)} main-d’œuvre (fr)

See also

• hand crank, handcrank
• pedal
• treadle

References

• “manpower”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.