incentive

American  

[in-sen-tiv] / ɪnˈsɛn tɪv /

noun

1. something that incites or tends to incite to action or greater effort, as a reward offered for increased productivity.

   Synonyms:

   prod, goad, encouragement, impulse, incitement, spur, stimulus

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adjective

1. inciting, as to action; stimulating; provocative.

incentive British  

/ ɪnˈsɛntɪv /

noun

1. a motivating influence; stimulus

2. 1. an additional payment made to employees as a means of increasing production

   2. ( as modifier )

      an incentive scheme

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adjective

1. serving to incite to action

Related Words

See motive.

Other Word Forms

• counterincentive noun
• incentively adverb
• nonincentive adjective
• preincentive noun
• superincentive noun

Etymology

Origin of incentive

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Late Latin incentīvus “provocative,” in Latin: “setting the tune,” from incent(us) “played” (past participle of incinere “to play (an instrument, tunes),” from in- in- ² + -cinere, combining form of canere “to sing”) + -īvus -ive

Example Sentences

Applying only to certain carbon-intensive sectors, it raises prices to reflect the cost of embedded carbon and so creates a perverse incentive to outsource production of downstream goods.

From The Wall Street Journal

Tesla shareholders this fall approved a new 2025 incentive plan for Musk, potentially worth $1 trillion if performance metrics are met.

From Barron's

Tesla shareholders this fall approved a new 2025 incentive plan for Musk, potentially worth $1 trillion if performance metrics are met.

From Barron's

It simply has no incentive to do so because it can sell its products in most states without Food and Drug Administration approval.

From The Wall Street Journal

The Volkswagen decision to shelve the vehicle a little more than a year after going on sale in the U.S. underlines how EV sales could struggle in the absence of financial incentives.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• encouragement
• enticement
• impetus
• motivation
• reason
• stimulus