national income

American  

noun

1. the total net earnings from the production of goods and services in a country over a period of time, usually one year, and consisting essentially of wages, salaries, rent, profits, and interest.

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national income British  

noun

1. economics the total of all incomes accruing over a specified period to residents of a country and consisting of wages, salaries, profits, rent, and interest

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Etymology

Origin of national income

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

national income

Burnham has said he wants to honour the UK's commitments on defence spending - including meeting a Nato target of spending 3.5% of national income by 2035.

From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026

Washington already oversees a sovereign-wealth fund—it’s called the U.S. economy, yielding 27% of national income annually to various levels of government in tax revenue.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 16, 2026

The possibility of a populist backlash is especially relevant currently, given that the share of national income going to labor is now at an all-time low.

From MarketWatch ● May 6, 2026

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has indicated he wants to speed up plans to reach 3% of national income being spent on defence.

From BBC ● Mar. 17, 2026

The major source of national income changed from agriculture to industry during the early 1960s, but the country was still by all appearances predominantly rural and agricultural.

From Area Handbook for Albania by Elpern, Sarah Jane