payee
Americannoun
noun
-
the person to whom a cheque, money order, etc, is made out
-
a person to whom money is paid or due
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of payee
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How does payee compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
A payee is someone who receives money. If your boss hands you your first paycheck, then you are officially a payee. Congrats. Anyone who is paid is a payee, but the term is most commonly used to mean the person (or organization) whose name is written on a check after the words "pay to the order of." If you write a check to pay your cable bill, the cable company is the payee. And if they make a billing mistake and issue you a refund check, you're the payee. Payee uses the suffix -ee, which means "recipient."
Vocabulary lists containing payee
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Sometimes foreign companies will withhold local taxes from dividends before sending them to a U.S. payee.
From Barron's ● Feb. 12, 2026
As a taxpayer, a Social Security payee, and someone who appreciates efficiency and good government, I am grateful to them.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 28, 2025
If you’re the alternate payee in particular, you want your share of retirement assets without any major hassles.
From Salon ● Dec. 29, 2024
If a bank does not know the payee, it generally sends a paper check on your behalf, but the checks may have your account number and other information on them, leaving them susceptible to fraud.
From New York Times ● Jan. 7, 2024
“The payee, of course, was known?” observed Mr. Halfpenny.
From The Herapath Property by Fletcher, J. S. (Joseph Smith)
Hayes allegedly deposited the checks in her accounts at various banks by forging the signatures of payees, prosecutors said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 20, 2024
Jack also believes the fact that 137 individual payments were being made to three new payees in the space of an hour, should have raised concerns with Revolut.
From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2024
The payees ranged from China to Saudi Arabia to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
From Seattle Times ● May 21, 2024
Other warnings signs include frequent or last-minute changes of end-users or payees, or redirection of goods to third countries that have limited or no restrictions on re-exports to Russia, the department said.
From Reuters ● Apr. 23, 2023
In the following schedule are given the names of Loudoun payees and the amount received by each: £ s. d.
From History and Comprehensive Description of Loudoun County, Virginia by Head, James William
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
