Plural of foreman; senior workers or supervisors who oversee and direct other workers on a job or in a workplace.
From 'fore-' (front, first) + 'man'. A foreman was literally the 'first man' or leading man in charge of workers, a term solidified during the Industrial Revolution.
The foreman was your direct boss on a construction site or factory floor—a skilled worker promoted to leadership who still had dirt under their fingernails, unlike managers in offices.
Derives from 'fore' (first) + 'men.' Historically, supervisory roles were male-coded; women were excluded from formal leadership positions on job sites, making 'foremen' a gendered default.
Use 'foreperson' or 'crew lead' as gender-neutral alternatives for supervisory roles.
["foreperson","crew lead","supervisor","line lead"]
Women now serve as construction and manufacturing supervisors; inclusive language reflects this reality and removes gendered gatekeeping.
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