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.

---

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

---

Etymology

Origin of national income

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

He said higher energy prices would boost national income, as Canada is a net crude-oil exporter.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026

France is planning to reduce development assistance by nearly 40%, and the U.K. is shrinking aid expenditures from 0.5% to 0.3% of its gross national income by 2027.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 13, 2026

In the event, none reached the 0.1% of national income threshold.

From BBC • Dec. 1, 2025

The 16th Amendment simultaneously allowed national income tax.

From The Wall Street Journal • Sep. 27, 2025

Similarly, the contribution of agriculture to national income was reported to have declined by 36.4 and by 33.3 percent.

From Area Handbook for Bulgaria by Baluyut, Violeta D.