real wages

American  

[ree-uhl, reel] / ˈri əl, ril /

plural noun

Economics.

1. wages estimated not in money but in purchasing power.

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real wages British  

plural noun

1. economics wages evaluated with reference to their purchasing power rather than to the money actually paid Compare money wages

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real wages Cultural  

1. Wages adjusted for the prevailing level of consumer prices. (See also constant dollars.)

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Etymology

Origin of real wages

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

Italy is the only EU country where real wages have declined since 1990, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

From Barron's

Average hourly earnings in September increased a mere 0.2%, meaning real wages after inflation declined that month.

From The Wall Street Journal

In all, Desai added, the administration “will continue to implement and emphasize these and other economic policies that are cutting costs, raising real wages and securing trillions in investments to make and hire in America.”

From MarketWatch

That relentless pressure from an organized working class “raised real wages and created a set of fringe benefits, including health insurance and retirement pay,” he says.

From The Wall Street Journal

From 1840 to 1900 real wages doubled, and the average lifespan increased by 22%, from roughly 41 years to 50.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• net income