Luddite

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Luddite \Lud"dite\, n.
     One of a number of riotous persons in England, who for six
     years (1811-17) tried to prevent the use of labor-saving
     machinery by breaking it, burning factories, etc.; -- so
     called from Ned Lud, a half-witted man who some years
     previously had broken stocking frames. --J. & H. Smith. --H.


     Martineau.
     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  Luddite
       n 1: any opponent of technological progress
       2: one of the 19th century English workmen who destroyed
          labor-saving machinery that they thought would cause
          unemployment