sinecure
A paid position that carries a fine title but almost no actual duties.
Example: That advisory role is a sinecure for the founder's cousin.
C216 words · Proficient
Jobs & Occupations vocabulary — C2
Job vocabulary for rare and old-fashioned occupations, naming a farrier, a cooper, a milliner and an apiarist among the specialist trades and titles in this set.
16 questions
Words in this set
16locum
A qualified professional who temporarily stands in for a doctor or vet who is away.
Example:
We booked a locum to cover the surgery in August.
virtuoso
/vərtʃuˈoʊsoʊ/A person with exceptional skill in a particular art, especially music.
Example:
The pianist was hailed as a virtuoso.
connoisseur
/ˌkɑnəˈsɜr/A person with expert knowledge and refined judgement about a particular subject, especially food, art, or music.
Example:
He's a connoisseur of fine wine and often consults for restaurants.
ombudsman
/ˈɑmbədzmən/An official appointed to investigate complaints against an organisation.
Example:
She took her case to the ombudsman after the bank ignored three letters.
factotum
An employee who does every kind of job in a household or small business.
Example:
He acted as driver, cook and general factotum for the whole family.
apiarist
Someone who keeps bees.
Example:
The apiarist moved forty hives to the orchard for the blossom.
farrier
/ˈfɛriər/Someone whose trade is fitting horseshoes.
Example:
A farrier comes to the stables every six weeks.
chandler
/ˈtʃændlər/A dealer who supplies rope, canvas and other goods to ships.
Example:
The chandler on the quay has been trading since 1840.
cooper
/ˈkupər/A craftsman who makes and repairs wooden barrels.
Example:
The distillery still employs a cooper to rebuild its casks by hand.
haberdasher
A shopkeeper who sells buttons, thread, ribbon and similar small sewing goods.
Example:
The last haberdasher in town closed when the market moved.
impresario
/ˌɪmprɪˈsɑriˌoʊ/Someone who organises and finances concerts, operas or theatre productions.
Example:
The impresario booked three orchestras for a single weekend.
vintner
/ˈvɪntnər/Someone whose trade is making or selling wine.
Example:
The vintner poured us something from a barrel he had not yet labelled.
milliner
/ˈmɪlɪnər/Someone who designs and makes hats.
Example:
Every hat at the wedding came from the same milliner in Dublin.
calligrapher
/kəˈlɪɡrəfər/Someone who writes decorative lettering by hand as an art.
Example:
A calligrapher addressed all two hundred invitations in gold ink.
apothecary
/əˈpɑθəˌkɛri/An old word for someone who prepared and sold medicines.
Example:
The museum has rebuilt an apothecary exactly as it stood in 1790.
