laborantur

Laborantur is a Latin verb form: the third-person plural present passive indicative of laborare, meaning “to work” or “to toil.” As a first-conjugation verb, its present passive endings are -or, -aris, -atur, -amur, -amini, -antur, of which laborantur corresponds to the third-person plural. The literal translation is typically “they are being worked” or, in a broader sense, “they toil,” depending on context and sense.

Etymology and related forms: laborare derives from the Latin noun labor, meaning toil or work. The verb is used in both literal and figurative senses, including situations in which the subjects undergo action rather than perform it. Related forms include laboratus (the perfect passive participle, “having been worked”), laborans (present active participle, “working”), and the various active and passive tenses of laborare.

Usage and nuance: In classical Latin, laborantur appears in contexts where the subject experiences or undergoes labor, toil, or burden, often with an agent introduced by a preposition such as a/ab (by) or per (through). The passive voice emphasizes the impact of action on the subject rather than the agency of an actor. As with other Latin verbs, laborantur can bear literal meanings related to physical or mental exertion or extend to figurative “work” performed on someone or something.

See also: Latin conjugation of laborare; related forms laboratus, laborans; broader discussion of passive voice in Latin.