Definition

Adjective: - Requiring a large amount of human work relative to capital or machinery: Describes a process, industry, or method where the primary input and cost is human effort, skill, and time, rather than financial investment in equipment or technology.

Usage

The adjective "labour-intensive" is used to describe economic activities, production methods, or tasks. It is typically hyphenated, especially when placed before a noun. - It modifies nouns like industry, process, method, work, agriculture, and sector. - It often contrasts with capital-intensive.

Examples

• Before a noun:
  • Fruit picking is a labour-intensive activity that is difficult to automate.
  • The textile industry was historically a labour-intensive sector.
• After a linking verb:
  • Traditional craftsmanship is often highly labour-intensive.
  • The restoration of the old painting proved to be very labour-intensive.

Advanced Usage

• Economic Context: In economics, "labour-intensive" is a key classification for industries, often used in discussions about development, trade, and employment.
  • Developing economies frequently have a comparative advantage in labour-intensive manufacturing.

Variants and Related Words

• Labor-intensive: The American English spelling, where "labor" is used instead of "labour".
• Capital-intensive (adj.): The direct antonym, describing processes requiring large financial investment in plants and machinery.
• Skill-intensive (adj.): Emphasizing a high requirement for specialized human skill rather than just manual labour.

Synonyms

• Handmade: Made by hand, not by machine, implying high labour input.
• Artisanal: Involving skilled manual work, often on a small scale.
• People-heavy: (Informal) Requiring many personnel.

Antonyms

• Capital-intensive
• Automated
• Mechanized

Adjective

1. requiring a large expenditure of labor but not much capital
   • cottage industries are labor intensive