earned income

American  

noun

1. income from wages, salaries, fees, or the like, accruing from labor or services performed by the earner.

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earned income British  

noun

1. income derived from paid employment and comprising mainly wages and salaries

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Etymology

Origin of earned income

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

earned income

Nehls does list a six-figure salary in earned income from his consulting business in 2024.

From Salon ● Jul. 24, 2026

Esther Holm, Grossman’s attorney, said the “evidence will show that she had not earned income for many years, since this accident and prior to this accident.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 6, 2026

One would help caregivers stay connected to tax-deferred retirement savings during periods when earned income is reduced or interrupted.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 2, 2026

After offsetting gains, losses can be used to offset up to $3,000 in earned income annually, and excess losses can be rolled to future years.

From Barron's ● Apr. 25, 2026

Some draw on government help in the form of food stamps, housing vouchers, the earned income tax credit, or—for those coming off welfare in relatively generous states—subsidized child care.

From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich