Definition

Noun A person whose job is to sew, specifically by using and controlling a sewing machine.

Usage

This term is a compound noun that specifically describes a person's occupation. It is used to identify someone who performs sewing as their primary work function, distinguishing them from those who sew by hand or in other roles within the textile and garment industry.

Examples

• The factory employs over two hundred sewing-machine operators.
• She trained for six months to become a skilled sewing-machine operator.
• The position requires an experienced sewing-machine operator who can work with various fabrics.

Advanced Usage

• The term can be used in a more general sense to describe anyone who skillfully operates a sewing machine, not strictly in an industrial setting, though this is less common.
  • My grandmother was an excellent sewing-machine operator and made all our clothes.

Variants and Related Words

• Seamstress/Tailor: These are more general terms for a person who sews professionally. A seamstress or tailor may use a sewing machine but is not defined solely by that action; they often perform cutting, fitting, and hand-sewing tasks as well.
• Machinist: In a garment factory context, this can be a synonym for a sewing-machine operator.
• Sewer: (Pronounced /ˈsoʊ.ər/) A person who sews. This is a broader term that does not specify the tool used.

Synonyms

• Machinist (in garment manufacturing)
• Industrial sewer
• Stitcher

Antonyms

• Hand-sewer
• Unskilled laborer (in a general sense, for a role requiring no specific machine operation skill)

Noun

1. someone who sews by operating a sewing machine