payday

American  

[pey-dey] / ˈpeɪˌdeɪ /

noun

1. the day on which wages are given, payment is made, etc.

2. Informal. a day or period during which a great deal of money, success, fame, etc., is won or obtained.

   Payday came when she was given a screen test by a big Hollywood studio.

---

payday British  

/ ˈpeɪˌdeɪ /

noun

1. the day on which wages or salaries are paid

---

Etymology

Origin of payday

First recorded in 1520–30; pay ¹ + day

Example Sentences

Lightly recruited athletes out of high school who improve fast jump to brighter lights and bigger paydays.

From The Wall Street Journal

Bettors were backing the mercurial and less experienced Paul with hopes for a big payday — dreams that were crushed when Joshua beat Paul handily.

From MarketWatch

And the ultimate irony is that this spectacle has provided one of Joshua's biggest paydays and, in all likelihood, his largest television audience.

From BBC

But the promise of a gigantic payday doesn’t change what a mismatch this fight is on paper.

From The Wall Street Journal

In some cases, smaller timberland owners have had to pay for thinnings, turning what is typically a payday into a major expense.

From The Wall Street Journal