ossos do ofício

Portuguese

Alternative forms

Etymology

Literally, “bones of the occupation”, from ossos (“difficulties”, literally “bones”).[1] A common folk etymology explains it as a mishearing of ócios do ofício, but the opposite relation is true; another attributes it to papel-ofício (“office paper”), which allegedly used to be made with bone marrow for whiteness.

Noun

ossos do ofício m pl (plural only)

  1. (idiomatic) occupational hazard (hardships and unpleasant circumstances that occur in a given job)

References

  1. ^ “ossos do ofício”, in Dicio – Dicionário Online de Português (in Portuguese), São Paulo: 7Graus, 2009–2025
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