slang. [f. the phrase struggle for life (see STRUGGLE sb. 1 d) + -ER1.
The word seems to have been first formed in Fr. as struggle-for-lifeur; in this form it was used in Alphonse Daudet’s play La Lutte pour la Vie (1889). It had some currency in France (corrupted into strugforlifeur), and has often been used jocularly (occas. in the Fr. form) by English journalists.]
One who has a struggle to live; usually, one who is unscrupulous in his efforts to advance himself in the world.
1895. Funk’s Stand. Dict., Struggle-for-lifer (Slang, Eng.), a struggler for life, as against hopeless poverty.
1899. Daily News, 11 Jan., 5/4. Some struggle-for-lifers have since carried seats there by sap, mine, and storm.
1905. Pall Mall Gaz., 22 Dec., 1. South Africa … will be edified by the manner in which its interests are employed to serve the tactical exigencies of a political ‘struggle-for-lifer.’
