1. A laborer who does heavy manual work, especially on construction projects such as roads, railways, or canals.
Usage: chiefly British; historical

Examples

• The navvies worked long hours building the railway line across the countryside.
• In the 19th century, navvies were essential to the expansion of Britain's canal system.
• The construction site employed dozens of navvies to dig and lay the foundation.
• Navvies often faced difficult working conditions and low wages during the Industrial Revolution.
• The term 'navvy' comes from the word 'navigator,' originally referring to workers on canal projects.