Etymology: A neologism for a not-so-new concept, umarell refers to an older man who spends his days inspecting the work in progress at construction sites. The word was coined in 2005 by Danilo Masotti, an Italian writer, and is a distortion of umarèl, meaning “old man” in Bolognese dialect. Since it describes what is traditionally a group phenomenon, it’s important to know that the correct plural is the Anglicized form umarells, not the standard Italian plural umarelli. This is to help simplify the use of the word in languages other than Italian. 

 Meaning: You see them from about 8 a.m. on town squares, sidewalks or street corners, peeking through construction site fencing to catch a glimpse of what’s happening on the other side. By 10 a.m., a small crowd has usually gathered for live commentary. They aren’t hard hat–wearing engineers, however, but umarells: retired men in flat caps and beige coats, standing with their hands clasped behind their backs, watching the workers.

As much as the word is patronizing, even mocking, the concept has given rise to a number of well-meaning community initiatives that celebrate an overlooked demographic. In the Bologna region, where the term originated, various towns have launched rewards for their vigilant elderly residents, from paying small stipends for overseeing unattended worksites to awarding “umarell of the year” badges to the most diligent public servants. In 2016, the phenomenon even caught the attention of US chain Burger King, which initiated an Italy-wide social media campaign to recruit umarells for their newly planned sites in the hope of winning over the hearts of the famously fast-food-loathing nation.

Although the word hasn’t yet made it into the Oxford English Dictionary, the Urban Dictionary entry helps put it in a wider context. According to its definition, umarells aren’t just lingering around Italian construction sites, they are everywhere; they are “people in a community who offer all sorts of comments to those who are trying to get some work done, but who are not doing any work themselves.” Whether it’s a colleague, a supervisor or a neighbor, everyone knows an umarell—and, perhaps, everyone also needs an umarell. Aren’t we all more productive if we have someone peeking over our shoulder to check if we’re actually getting things done?