What does coworker mean?
A coworker is a person who works alongside another within the same organization, company, or workplace. The term is neutral and widely used in both everyday conversation and professional writing, covering everyone from close collaborators on a team to employees one merely shares an office with. Unlike 'colleague', which can refer more broadly to members of the same profession regardless of shared employment, 'coworker' specifically denotes someone employed by the same organization or working in the same setting. The word carries no inherent connotation of hierarchy — a manager's direct reports are coworkers, though 'boss' and 'supervisor' describe roles rather than peer relationships. In American English it is usually written without a hyphen, while British English often preserves 'co-worker'. The word has deep roots: its earliest uses referred to people laboring together in religious or charitable causes, long before the modern workplace gave it its dominant contemporary meaning. Today it is indispensable vocabulary for describing professional relationships.
nounA person with whom one works, typically in the same organization or workplace; a colleague or fellow employee.
- A person who works with another in the same organization or workplace.
- (Historical/religious) A person who labors together with others, especially in a shared cause such as ministry or charity.
"My coworkers threw a surprise party for my tenth anniversary at the firm."
"She asked her coworkers for feedback before presenting the proposal to management."
"Paul greets his coworkers warmly as he arrives at the office each morning."
Standard plural form, used identically across American and British English (aside from hyphenation preferences).
"Most of my coworkers commute by train."
The word 'coworker' predates modern offices by centuries — it was first used to describe people laboring together in religious and missionary contexts long before anyone shared a cubicle.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of coworker
Coworker derives from the English prefix 'co-' meaning 'together' combined with 'worker', itself from Old English 'weorcan' (to work). It emerged in English in the late sixteenth century, initially used in religious contexts to describe those who labored together in ministry or a common spiritual cause. Its use expanded over time to encompass secular joint labor, and by the nineteenth and twentieth centuries it had become standard terminology for fellow employees in modern workplaces.
How coworker is actually used
Neutral register, suitable for both formal and informal contexts. In American English it is typically written without a hyphen ('coworker'), while British English often retains 'co-worker'. It implies physical or organizational proximity but not necessarily friendship; 'colleague' can sound slightly more formal or professional.
Easily confused with coworker
A colleague is anyone in the same profession or field (often implying equal professional standing), while a coworker specifically works alongside you in the same workplace or organization.
'Co-worker' is simply an alternative hyphenated spelling of the same word; 'coworker' without the hyphen is now more common in American usage.