# contractor

Pronunciation: US say "KON-trak-ter" /ˈkɑnˌtɹæk.tɚ/; UK say "KON-trak-tuh" /ˈkɒnˌtɹæk.tə(ɹ)/

## Noun

1. A person or company that takes on the job of constructing or improving buildings.
   - Simple: A person or company that builds or improves buildings.
   - _The contractor submitted a bid to construct the apartment complex._
   - _Local contractors renovated several historic homes in the neighborhood._
2. A person hired to do a job under a business contract, rather than as a permanent employee.
   - Simple: A worker hired to do a job under a contract, not as a permanent employee.
   - _The agency brought in a contractor to cover the busy season instead of hiring permanent staff._
   - _Many companies prefer contractors for short-term work because they require no long-term commitment._
3. A person or company hired to do a particular kind of work, such as electrical wiring or plumbing, on a construction project.
   - Simple: A worker or company that does one type of job, like wiring or plumbing, on a building project.
   - _The mechanical contractor installed the building's entire ventilation system._
   - _Specialty contractors bid separately for the wiring and pipe-fitting work._
4. A person or company hired to look after existing facilities, such as air-conditioning systems or grounds.
   - Simple: A worker or company hired to keep things like air conditioning or gardens working well.
   - _The hospital relies on a contractor to keep its cooling systems running year-round._
   - _The city pays several contractors to maintain parks and public landscaping._

## Origin

Borrowed from Late Latin "contractor," from "contract-," the stem of Latin "contractus," plus "-tor." It was first recorded in the 16th century.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/contractor (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).