payday

American  

[pey-dey] / ˈpeɪˌdeɪ /

noun

1. the day on which wages are given, payment is made, etc.

2. Informal. a day or period during which a great deal of money, success, fame, etc., is won or obtained.

   Payday came when she was given a screen test by a big Hollywood studio.

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payday British  

/ ˈpeɪˌdeɪ /

noun

1. the day on which wages or salaries are paid

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Etymology

Origin of payday

First recorded in 1520–30; pay ¹ + day

Explanation

When you have a job, your payday is the day you get paid. You might wait to buy yourself a new outfit until after payday. Some jobs have a weekly payday — maybe Fridays are payday at the ice cream shop where you work. In other cases, you have to wait two weeks, or even a month, between paydays. You can also use payday to mean a sudden success or influx of money, either earned or won: "That movie brought a huge payday to its producers." Since 1932, there's also been a peanut and nougat-based candy bar called PayDay.

Example Sentences

Former stars arrived in New York for one last payday once the rest of the league had realized their best days were done.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 3, 2026

In doing so, it would create a powerful incentive for others to follow in their footsteps and potentially reap a lucrative payday.

From Salon • May 19, 2026

Many entrepreneurs toil for years toward a big payday.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026

"We will not submit to opportunistic lawyers looking to manufacture a payday from us," they added.

From BBC • Apr. 23, 2026

Every payday, I give Miss Celia the count.

From "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett