salary

[sal-uh-ree]

noun

plural

salaries 

1. a fixed compensation periodically paid to a person for regular work or services.

salary

/ ˈsælərɪ /

noun

1. a fixed regular payment made by an employer, often monthly, for professional or office work as opposed to manual work Compare wage

verb

1. (tr) to pay a salary to

Other Word Forms

• salaryless adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of salary¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English salarie, from Anglo-French, from Latin salārium “money given to soldiers to buy salt, salt money.” See sal, -ary

Word History and Origins

Origin of salary¹

C14: from Anglo-Norman salarie, from Latin salārium the sum given to Roman soldiers to buy salt, from sal salt

Synonym Study

See pay ¹.

Example Sentences

The corruption revelations tend to range from the somewhat venal — party bigwigs living on limited government salaries enjoying lavish lifestyles — to more insidious allegations of Morena officials in league with organized crime.

From Los Angeles Times

Five years after having their first child, mums' earnings drop by an average of £1,051 a month compared with their salary one year before having a child.

From BBC

US federal workers have described their state of uncertainty, with many now on unpaid leave due to a government shutdown and one remarking that their salary was being "held hostage".

From BBC

He arbitrated salary disputes in baseball, of which he is a lifelong fan.

From Los Angeles Times

Collier then detailed a discussion she says she had with Engelbert in February in which the commissioner allegedly blew off Collier’s concerns about officiating and players’ salaries.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• earnings 
• fee 
• income 
• pay 
• payroll 
• stipend 
• wage 

When To Use

What is a salary?

A salary is a fixed, regular payment in exchange for work. This is different from earning a fee that depends on how many hours you work (earning a fixed rate per hour) or how much work you do, sometimes called piecework.When you earn a salary, it is usually stated as the amount of money you will receive in one year for doing the work (before any taxes are paid). You will then be paid in equal amounts each pay period over the course of that year, even when you are on a paid vacation. How often you are paid will vary from company to company, with every other week and twice a month being most common.To salary someone is to pay them a salary. A salaried employee is someone who is paid a salary instead of paid another way, such as paid by the hour.Example: How can they expect me to live my best life when I’m paid on such a low salary?