workhorse

[ wurk-hawrs ]

noun

1. a horse used for plowing, hauling, and other heavy labor, as distinguished from a riding horse, racehorse, etc.
2. a person who works tirelessly at a task, assumes extra duties, etc.

workhorse

/ ˈwɜːkˌhɔːs /

noun

1. a horse used for nonrecreational activities
2. informal.
   a person who takes on the greatest amount of work in a project or job

Word History and Origins

Origin of workhorse¹

First recorded in 1535–45; work + horse

Example Sentences

Musk has transformed the space business by creating resusable booster rockets that cut costs, such as the company’s workhorse Falcon 9, which sends satellites into space.

From Los Angeles Times

The European city’s more-than-a-century-old subway became the transit workhorse of the Olympic Games, with trains pulling in every few minutes emptying out crowded stations and moving spectators quickly from stadiums and pop-up venues.

From Los Angeles Times

So the notion that Marks was pigeonholed as a pass catcher or seen as anything less than a three-down workhorse didn’t sit well with Myles.

From Los Angeles Times

Ariane-6 is intended to be a workhorse rocket that gives European governments and companies access to space independently from the rest of the world.

From BBC

The crew, in a SpaceX Dragon capsule, will be sent to space by a Falcon 9, the company’s workhorse rocket.

From Los Angeles Times