Werkster

Werkster is a Dutch noun that denotes a woman who works or is employed, effectively a female worker or employee. The term is formed from the word werk (work) with the agent-noun suffix -ster, a pattern in Dutch used to indicate someone performing a particular role. As a gendered form, werkster historically identified a woman in a given occupation or work situation.

In usage, werkster appears most often in older texts or in contexts where gender is being specified. It also appears in compound forms that denote a female worker in a specific occupation, such as verkoopster (saleswoman) or serveerster (waitress). The -ster suffix signals femininity, and many such forms continue to be encountered in contemporary language, though they are sometimes replaced by gender-neutral alternatives in formal writing.

Contemporary Dutch tends toward gender-neutral language in many professional contexts, with terms like medewerker or werknemer used in neutral references to staff. As a result, werkster is perceived as somewhat old-fashioned or regionally marked in some settings. It may nonetheless still be found in everyday speech, in historical discussions, or when a distinction by gender is relevant. In summary, werkster is a traditional Dutch feminine noun for a woman worker, whose usage has declined in formal modern Dutch in favor of more neutral terms.