workwoman

workwoman: *ŏpĕrāria (one who works for hire): used by Plautus ironically. Phr.: she lived a hard life, being a w. in wool, for her livelihood, vitam duriter agebat lana ac tela victum quaeritans, Ter. Andr. 1, 1, 48: for w., as needlewoman, there is no one Latin term, though carding and spinning wool were done by women: young w.en at their task late at night, nocturna carpentes pensa puellae, Virg.