occupation

English

Etymology

From Middle English occupacioun, borrowed from Middle French occupation, from Latin occupātio, from occupō (“occupy, seize”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *keh₂p- (“to seize, grab”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˌɒkjʊˈpeɪʃən/, /ˌɒkjəˈpeɪʃən/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˌɑkjʊˈpeɪʃən/, /ˌɑkjəˈpeɪʃən/

  • Audio (US)

    (file)

• Rhymes: -eɪʃən

Noun

occupation (countable and uncountable, plural occupations)

1. An activity or task with which one occupies oneself; usually specifically the productive activity, service, trade, or craft for which one is regularly paid; a job.
2. The act, process or state of possessing a place.
   • 1960 February, R. C. Riley, “The London–Birmingham services – Past, Present and Future”, in Trains Illustrated, London: Ian Allan Publishing, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 98:

     Last year it was announced that electrification of L.M.R. main lines was to be speeded up and that it would be essential for the engineers to have the longest possible occupation of the lines involved; this would mean some retrenchment of passenger train services.

3. (geopolitics, military) The control of a nation or region by a hostile military or paramilitary force.
   • 1999, Linda Flavell, Roger Flavell, “1066 The Normans Begin to Erect Castles”, in dictionary of english down through the ages words & phrases born out of historical events great & small, 2005 edition, London: Kyle Cathie Limited, →ISBN, page 17:

     The early years of Norman occupation saw a frenzy of castle building.

   • 2012 April 23, Angelique Chrisafis, “François Hollande on top but far right scores record result in French election”, in The Guardian‎:

     The lawyer and twice-divorced mother of three had presented herself as the modern face of her party, trying to strip it of unsavoury overtones after her father's convictions for saying the Nazi occupation of France was not "particularly inhumane".

Synonyms

• (activity with which one occupies oneself) employment, interest, line of work, profession, vocation

Derived terms

Translations

French

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin occupātio, occupātiōnem. By surface analysis, occuper +‎ -ation.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɔ.ky.pa.sjɔ̃/

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

occupation f (plural occupations)

1. occupation (act of occupying, of being an occupant)
2. occupation (the occupying of a territory)
3. occupation (something that one spends one's time on, such as a job or a hobby)

   Near-synonyms: activité, passe-temps

Further reading

• “occupation”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé , 2012.