A routine task or job that needs to be done regularly, especially a boring or unpleasant one.
From Old English 'char' (turn or time), originally meaning 'a turning or task,' evolving from work that had to be done in rotation. Related to 'charwoman,' a woman hired for cleaning work.
Medieval households used 'char' to describe each person's rotating duties—the concept that everyone took turns is literally built into the word, which is why chores feel fair to kids who understand the rotation.
Historically gendered as 'women's work,' especially domestic chores, reinforcing unpaid labor segregation by gender.
Use neutrally for any task; specify paid/unpaid context when relevant to avoid reinforcing gendered assumptions about who performs tasks.
["task","responsibility","duty"]
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