paymaster

American  

[pey-mas-ter, -mah-ster] / ˈpeɪˌmæs tər, -ˌmɑ stər /

noun

1. a person authorized by a company, government, etc., to pay out wages or salaries, especially in the military.

---

paymaster British  

/ ˈpeɪˌmɑːstə /

noun

1. an official of a government, business, etc, responsible for the payment of wages and salaries

---

Other Word Forms

• paymastership noun

Etymology

Origin of paymaster

First recorded in 1540–50; pay ¹ + master

Example Sentences

Young voters who were previously unaware that L.A. even had a controller were galvanized by Mejia’s unorthodox campaign, which directed an unprecedented spotlight toward L.A.’s chief accounting officer, auditor and paymaster.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 15, 2025

The paymaster general Nick Thomas-Symonds was giving evidence to a special session of the public inquiry into what's been called the worst treatment disaster in NHS history.

From BBC • May 7, 2025

As for Cohen’s and others’ actions to implement the scheme, Trump Organization paymaster Deborah Tarasoff testified that the defendant or his sons had to approve any check for more than $10,000.

From Salon • May 24, 2024

Olaf Scholz, the leader of the EU's paymaster Germany, concluded the negotiations were only starting in earnest: "We are still at the beginning, the positions ... are not matching yet."

From Reuters • Oct. 26, 2023

The cadaverous Volantene, Gorys Eidoryen, had replaced Strickland as paymaster.

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin

Related Words

• accountant
• clerk
• teller