paycheck

American  

[pey-chek] / ˈpeɪˌtʃɛk /

noun

• paychecks
  plural

1. a bank check given as salary or wages.

2. salary or wages.

   One can stretch the paycheck only just so far.

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Usage

What does paycheck mean? A paycheck is the bank check that is given to an employee by their employer to pay them for their work. Paycheck is also used more generally to refer to the money a person is paid for their work, as in Most of my paycheck goes to paying rent and bills. It can refer to wages (payment based on the time spent working or the number of items worked on) or a salary (a set amount paid over time). A paycheck can be an actual piece of paper (a check) that a person can take to the bank to deposit to their account or exchange for cash. Alternatively, a paycheck can be money a company electronically deposits directly into the employee’s bank account. This is often referred to as a direct deposit. Paychecks are often issued to employees every two weeks, but they can also be given weekly, bimonthly, or monthly. Typically, a paycheck also includes information about the  taxes and deductions that have been taken out of an employee’s pay. Paychecks are the most common method of payment in the U. S. for most part-time and full-time employees. Jobs that involve payments of cash or other compensation are much less common. Example: I’m thankful that my work allows me to earn a steady paycheck, but I dream of starting my own business.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• paychecks
  plural

Etymology

Origin of paycheck

First recorded in 1900–05; pay ¹ + check ¹

Explanation

Your paycheck is the money you get from work, usually every week or two. Country singer Johnny Paycheck’s big hit was “Take This Job and Shove It.” Good luck getting a paycheck after saying that! An employer usually pays employees with regularly scheduled paychecks. Your paycheck represents payment of your wages for the amount of time you worked. A lot of workers have their salaries deposited directly into their bank accounts, so they don't actually get a paper paycheck. You can also use paycheck more generally to mean "income" or "earnings," as in "All that money for health insurance comes right out of my paycheck."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

paycheck paychecks

“I was never the type to wait for the paycheck from someone else’s hard work to come to my door,” he added.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2026

The Russian can console herself with the knowledge she has gained valuable experience against the world number one on the biggest court on the planet - and a bumper paycheck.

From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026

PHILADELPHIA—Sam Fuld spent eight years in the major leagues trying to cling to a roster spot long enough to earn his next paycheck.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026

Except for Duffy’s paycheck, but it’s not as if that’s worth mentioning.

From Salon ● Aug. 23, 2026

Even more oddly, his anger had no obvious effect on the recipient’s paycheck; a trader might find himself routinely abused by his boss and yet delighted by his year-end bonus, determined by that same boss.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

While prices and borrowing costs climbed, hard work, as measured in paychecks, couldn’t keep up.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 28, 2026

He returned to television briefly, working on two more game shows, one of which included one of his biggest paychecks.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026

Mr. Futterman’s focus on superstars will leave some readers wishing he’d chronicled the occasional journeyman trying to scrape out wins and paychecks.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

Americans’ wages grew faster than inflation in June after two months when prices — especially at the gas pump — were beating the growth in their paychecks.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 14, 2026

Saloon keepers cashed paychecks, supplied a mailing address for immigrants who had not yet found a permanent home, and, in many places, provided a place to sleep for five dollars a night.

From "1919 The Year That Changed America" by Martin W. Sandler