payroll

American  

[pey-rohl] / ˈpeɪˌroʊl /

noun

1. a list of employees to be paid, pay, with the amount due to each.

2. the sum total of these amounts.

3. the actual money on hand for distribution.

   The bandits got away with the payroll.

4. the total number of people employed by a business firm or organization.

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verb (used with object)

1. to fund or subsidize.

   to be payrolled by the State Department.

payroll British  

/ ˈpeɪˌrəʊl /

noun

1. a list of employees, specifying the salary or wage of each

2. 1. the total of these amounts or the actual money equivalent

   2. ( as modifier )

      a payroll tax

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Etymology

Origin of payroll

First recorded in 1765–75; pay ¹ + roll

Example Sentences

Many have found opportunities on Abu Dhabi's payroll in the past, guarding oil pipelines and fighting in Yemen against Houthi rebels.

From Barron's

The departments saved $592 million in payroll over six years by carrying the vacancies, the auditors wrote.

From Los Angeles Times

The deceleration comes as payroll growth is also falling, and in the absence of meaningful gains in hours worked.

From Barron's

But there’s usually an administrative lag before a payroll change takes effect.

From MarketWatch

The U.S. jobs market weakened toward the end of the year as labor demand slowed, a gauge of payroll employment showed Friday, fueling further concerns about hiring after the unemployment rate edged higher.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• amount
• budget
• charge
• consumption
• debt
• expenditure
• insurance
• investment
• liability
• loan
• loss
• mortgage
• obligation
• outlay
• price
• price tag
• rate
• risk
• spending
• sum