Where Does the Word Navvy Come from?

The word 'navvy' came from the 'navigators' who built the first navigation canals in the 18th century, at the very dawn of the Industrial Revolution. By the standards of the day they were well paid, but their work was hard and often very dangerous.

What does navvy mean in British?

Navvy, a clipping of navigator (UK) or navigational engineer (US), is particularly applied to describe the manual labourers working on major civil engineering projects and occasionally (in North America) to refer to mechanical shovels and earth moving machinery.

Is navvy a derogatory term?

Follower of Public Works: Navvy was a derogatory term. The general public were often ferociously hostile and contemptuous of navvies who were sub-working class in many ways.