jobsworth

Meaning

A person who upholds trivial rules unnecessarily and obstructively in order to exercise their (typically minor) authority.

Synonyms

bureaucrat

Translations

petit chef tire-au-flanc

burocrata

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈd͡ʒɒbzwɜːθ/

Etymology

A compound of job + -s- + worth, derived from the phrase “It’s more than me job’s worth” or “... my job’s worth” as used in denial of a request by a functionary, chiefly popularized by Jeremy Taylor's 1973 song “Jobsworth” and the 1973–1994 BBC television series That’s Life! which focused on consumer affairs and gave a “Jobsworth of the Week” award to “a startling tale of going by the book”.