occupati

Occupati is an Italian term used in grammar and statistics to denote employed individuals. As an adjective, occupato means busy or occupied; used substantively, gli occupati refers to the employed people, i.e., those who perform paid work. In economics and labor statistics, the plural form occupati is common to indicate the segment of the population that is employed, in contrast to disoccupati (unemployed). The employment rate, or tasso di occupazione, measures the share of the working-age population that is employed. Occupati can include full-time and part-time workers, and may encompass temporary or seasonal workers depending on the statistical framework, but generally refers to those with paid employment.

Etymology and sense: occupati derives from the verb occupare (to occupy), via Latin occupatus. The shift from “busy” to “having a job” arises because being employed implies being occupied with work. The term is most often encountered in formal statistics, policy reports, and labor-market analyses rather than everyday conversation.

Usage notes: occupato also means physically occupied or busy in daily language; occupati as a noun is most common in official discourse. In ordinary speech, more natural expressions include lavoratori or persone occupate. The term should not be confused with occupanti (occupants) or occupazioni (occupations or jobs) in other contexts. In Italian statistical practice, occupati is a standard category used to describe those participating in paid employment.