paycheck

American  

[pey-chek] / ˈpeɪˌtʃɛk /

noun

1. a bank check given as salary or wages.

2. salary or wages.

   One can stretch the paycheck only just so far.

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Usage

What does paycheck mean? A paycheck is the bank check that is given to an employee by their employer to pay them for their work.Paycheck is also used more generally to refer to the money a person is paid for their work, as in Most of my paycheck goes to paying rent and bills. It can refer to wages (payment based on the time spent working or the number of items worked on) or a salary (a set amount paid over time).A paycheck can be an actual piece of paper (a check) that a person can take to the bank to deposit to their account or exchange for cash. Alternatively, a paycheck can be money a company electronically deposits directly into the employee’s bank account. This is often referred to as a direct deposit.Paychecks are often issued to employees every two weeks, but they can also be given weekly, bimonthly, or monthly. Typically, a paycheck also includes information about the  taxes and deductions that have been taken out of an employee’s pay.Paychecks are the most common method of payment in the U.S. for most part-time and full-time employees. Jobs that involve payments of cash or other compensation are much less common.Example: I’m thankful that my work allows me to earn a steady paycheck, but I dream of starting my own business.

Etymology

Origin of paycheck

First recorded in 1900–05; pay ¹ + check ¹

Example Sentences

Lower- and middle-income Americans spend a larger share of their paychecks on energy, food and housing, so they are no doubt feeling this inflation more acutely than the affluent.

From The Wall Street Journal

After he was elected, he promised to take his first three paychecks in bitcoin and has pledged to make New York City the “the crypto capital of the globe.”

From The Wall Street Journal

As Holden moves through the foundations of emergency funds, she steps it up for people by adding the step of automating part of a paycheck to go directly into the account.

From MarketWatch

I’ve been there: counting the coins in my purse, checking pockets for forgotten bills, just trying to keep the household fed until the next paycheck.

From Salon

That’s the amount a company will contribute to an employee’s retirement account, often matching a percentage of the employee’s own contributions, which come out of their paycheck.

From MarketWatch