incentive

[in-sen-tiv]

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

adjective

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

incentive

/ 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

adjective

1. serving to incite to action

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of incentive¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of incentive¹

C15: from Late Latin incentīvus (adj), from Latin: striking up, setting the tune, from incinere to sing, from _in- ² + canere to sing

Synonym Study

See motive.

Example Sentences

However, this imbalance is expected to resolve as higher prices in London create an incentive for silver to flow back from the U.S. and other regions, gradually restoring market liquidity, according to analysts.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

And we must create consistent long-term incentives for private investment in these critical industries so that more capital is available.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The stated purpose of the US port fees is to address Chinese dominance of the global shipping sector and provide an incentive for building more ships in the United States.

Read more on Barron's

The bigger problem, however, is that lenders have little incentive to guard against fraud when mortgages are ultimately guaranteed by taxpayers.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

But away from the public rhetoric, strained US-India ties have given New Delhi fresh incentive to warm up to Beijing.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

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