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

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

Bennett made national news when his REITs turned out to be one of the biggest participants in the government’s small-business rescue effort, the Paycheck Protection Program.

From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026

She was part of a WSJ team that received a 2021 New York Press Club award for spot news coverage of the Paycheck Protection Program rollout.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 9, 2026

Navy Federal Credit Union said it has seen substantially higher uptake in its Paycheck Assistance Program, which offers zero-interest loans for customers impacted by paycheck disruptions, than it did during the 2018–’19 government shutdown.

From MarketWatch • Oct. 31, 2025

The business also must disclose whether it has received funding from other federal, state, or local sources, including the Paycheck Protection Program, which provided forgivable loans from the U.S.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 7, 2024

We must do better by providing the resources to enforce present equal pay laws, training more women for high-paying, high-tech jobs, and passing the Paycheck Fairness Act.

From State of the Union Address by Clinton, William Jefferson