What is the Latin word for laborer?

The usual Latin words for “laborer” are operārius, opera, mercēnārius. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“laborer” in Latin

operāriuslabouring, working operawork, pains, exertion, effort, labour; service, rendering of a service; one's fault, agency, doing mercēnāriushired for pay; mercenary

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

laborer

qui opus facit (general term); operarius; opera rare, usually plur., operae (handicraftsman, with reference to the mechanical nature of the work); if for hire, mercenarius (with reference to the terms, or motive; plur., operae conductae or mercenariae). ☞ Cic. mostly uses operae in a bad or contemptuous sense. An active or expert laborer, operarius navus (opposed to operarius ignavus et cessator): an agricultural laborer, cultor agri.

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for laborer?: The usual Latin words for “laborer” are operārius, opera, mercēnārius. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.