When did 'coworkers' replace 'colleagues'?

[HunkyPunk]

Just that, really. 'Colleagues' is a perfectly good word to describe people of either sex with whom you work, isn't it? It seems to have been replaced by 'coworkers' which just makes me think of a herd of fresians milling around a water cooler. Should be 'co-worker' if you must use it, imo.

Actually to add to my last post I think merriam-webster is a US based site so this probably gives an American view on the current usage whereas up until recently as the OP points out colleague is more used in Britain Given that colleague was seen as a more high level professional word originally and it has retained that status in the US, I would be interested to know how long the term has been used in blue collar jobs like factories in the UK.

I'm American. "Co-worker" has certainly not universally displaced "colleague" in the US. Colleague is still the preferred term in many professional settings.