Workers who load and unload cargo from ships at docks or ports; also a brand of casual pants.
From 'dock' (waterfront area where ships load/unload) + '-er' (one who does the work). The term emerged in the 1800s as major ports became central to trade; 'Dockers' pants were marketed in the 1980s as casual wear.
Dockers represent one of work clothing's strangest transformations—sturdy dock worker pants became suburban dad fashion in the '90s, marketed as the perfect casual-yet-professional look. The job of dockworker, meanwhile, has been revolutionized by containerization: a single crane operator now does work that once took dozens of dockers.
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