‖ Gastarbeiter, n.
(ˈgastˌɑːrbaɪtə(r))
Also gast-. Pl. unchanged or with -s.
[Ger., ‘guest-worker’, f. Gast guest + Arbeiter worker.]
A person with temporary permission to work in another country, an immigrant worker. Applied esp. to those encouraged into Germany after 1945 to assist in the post-war economic revival.
| 1966 Economist 2 July 27/1 It is all part of the service for the 1,200,000 or so Gastarbeiter, the ‘guest workers’ who help to keep the economy growing. 1975 Listener 13 Nov. 631/2 The Portuguese contingents of Gastarbeiter in Europe, are swelling the unemployment figures towards 20 per cent. 1976 New Society 3 June 544/3 Affluent German workers prefer to draw unemployment benefit rather than compete for jobs with Gastarbeiters. 1982 Financial Times 17 June 3/2 They accused the Turkish gastarbeiter of driving the tenants from their flats. 1989 Daily Tel. (Colour Suppl.) 3 June 31/1, I ask a Turkish Gastarbeiter what he thinks of it [sc. the Berlin wall]. |