pittance

American  

[pit-ns] / ˈpɪt ns /

noun

1. a small amount or share.

2. a small allowance or sum, as of money for living expenses.

3. a scanty income or remuneration.

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pittance British  

/ ˈpɪtəns /

noun

1. a small amount or portion, esp a meagre allowance of money

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Etymology

Origin of pittance

1175–1225; Middle English pitaunce < Old French pitance, variant of pietance piety, pity, allowance of food (in a monastery). See pity, -ance

Explanation

A pittance is a tiny payment or small reimbursement for work — generally an amount that's inadequate. The restaurant may pay you a pittance, but you can do well if you get a lot of good tips. The word pittance came into English from the Old French word pitance, meaning “allowance of food to a monk or poor person,” which in turn came from the Latin word pietas, meaning “pity.” Although a pittance may have originally meant that you were taking pity on someone with less wealth by giving them money or food, these days when you get a pittance it means that you earn a pitiful wage.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pittance

The money was swept into the general fund, where it amounted to a relative pittance — one-fourteenth of the amount collected from personal income taxes in fiscal 2025.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

And bearing the brunt of ever-speedier takeouts are delivery riders scrambling to meet tight deadlines for a pittance.

From BBC ● Jun. 2, 2026

Elon Musk is paying a pittance for failing to disclose his stake in Twitter in a timely fashion.

From Barron's ● May 4, 2026

That’s a pittance compared to what many Americans shell out if they’re insured through their employer, even accounting for the fact that employer plans tend to be superior in their choices and coverage.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2025

He even paid us the same pittance he usually did, despite his threats.

From "The Bridge Home" by Padma Venkatraman