paycheck

American  

[pey-chek] / ˈpeɪˌtʃɛk /

noun

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.

Etymology

Origin of paycheck

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

Example Sentences

When we save for retirement, it’s typically a solo endeavor that comes out of your paycheck and goes into an account labeled as “individual.”

From MarketWatch

But in a blue-collar job market being reshaped by technology and private equity, there are faster routes to six-figure paychecks than learning a skilled trade—ones that are easier on the joints, too.

From The Wall Street Journal

The government shutdown also doesn’t appear to have had a lingering drag on spending once paychecks resumed, suggesting that the economic impacts of the longest government shutdown will be more muted than initially forecast.

From Barron's

This keeps your paycheck similar while quietly repaying the loan.

From MarketWatch

Lower- and middle-income Americans spend a larger share of their paychecks on energy, food and housing, so they are no doubt feeling this inflation more acutely than the affluent.

From The Wall Street Journal