income
Americannoun
-
revenue received for goods or services, or from other sources, as rents or investments.
For years, her only source of income was the small number of stocks her father left her.
-
the money, or amount of money, received from one’s employment.
a household with three incomes;
a healthcare worker with an income that hasn’t increased in five years.
- Antonyms:
- expenditure, outgo
-
something that comes in as an addition or increase, especially by chance.
-
Archaic. a coming in.
noun
-
the amount of monetary or other returns, either earned or unearned, accruing over a given period of time
-
receipts; revenue
-
rare an inflow or influx
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of income
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English: literally, “that which has come in,” noun use of incomen (past participle of incomen “to come in”), Old English incuman; see in, come
Explanation
What could be simpler than to remember that income basically refers to money that "comes in," or is earned. Your income is the money you make in a given time period, for example weekly, monthly, or annually. Your income might come from many sources — salary, investments, interest or annuities. Today income is used as a noun, but the Old English word incuman was first a verb that meant "to come in," and referred to the money earned through one's labor or business dealings. The first income tax was attempted in Britain in 1404, but was so unpopular it was ended. In the United States, the Federal Income Tax became law in 1913, and, unfortunately, is still in effect.
Vocabulary lists containing income
Personal Finance and Financial Literacy - Introductory
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Personal Finance and Financial Literacy - High School
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"Principles of Business," Vocabulary from Chapter 2
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Hiring landscapers can achieve the same aesthetic and flash disposable income.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 9, 2026
And while the 2020 exit polls did not ask about income, the income data from the 2026 poll paints a related picture: A majority of respondents who support Collins make under $100,000 a year.
From Slate • Jul. 8, 2026
In contrast, the other family, which doesn't derive its income from AI or the tech world, had to instead move to a more suburban Bay Area town to the north.
From BBC • Jul. 8, 2026
You can check out the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator, a free online tool that helps workers determine whether they are having the correct amount of federal income tax withheld.
From MarketWatch • Jul. 8, 2026
We’re feeding ten people on two ration cards, my income, and Hirsch’s contributions, and it’s not quite enough.
From "The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
