subsidy

[ suhb-si-dee ]

/ ˈsʌb sɪ di /

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See synonyms for: subsidy / subsidies on Thesaurus.com

noun, plural sub·si·dies.

a direct pecuniary aid furnished by a government to a private industrial undertaking, a charity organization, or the like.

a sum paid, often in accordance with a treaty, by one government to another to secure some service in return.

a grant or contribution of money.

money formerly granted by the English Parliament to the crown for special needs.

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Origin of subsidy

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English subsidie, from Anglo-French, from Latin subsidium “auxiliary force, reserve, help,” equivalent to sub-sub- + sid-, combining form of sedēre “to sit” (see sit¹) + -ium-ium

synonym study for subsidy

1. Subsidy, subvention are both grants of money, especially governmental, to aid private undertakings. A subsidy is usually given to promote commercial enterprise: a subsidy to manufacturers during a war. A subvention is usually a grant to stimulate enterprises connected with science and the arts: a subvention to a research chemist by a major company.

OTHER WORDS FROM subsidy

an·ti·sub·si·dy, noun, plural an·ti·sub·si·dies.non·sub·si·dy, noun, plural non·sub·si·dies.

Words nearby subsidy

subsidiary coin, subsidiary company, subsidiary ledger, subsidiary rights, subsidize, subsidy, subsist, subsistence, subsistence allowance, subsistence farming, subsistence level

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

MORE ABOUT SUBSIDY

What does subsidy mean?

A subsidy is a direct payment made by a government to a company or other organization as a form of assistance.

To grant subsidies is to subsidize, and the process of doing so is subsidization. Governments that grant subsidies often provide them for particular industries, such as farming. The word is most commonly used to refer to such payments.

More generally, subsidy can refer to any grant or monetary contribution. More specifically, it can refer to a payment made by one government to another for a particular service, often according to a treaty.

Example: My company received a government subsidy to help expedite the manufacturing of healthcare products.

Where does subsidy come from?

The first records of the word subsidy come from the 1300s. It ultimately derives from the Latin subsidium, meaning “auxiliary force,” “reserve,” or “help.”

Subsidies are often designed to help provide funds to companies in a particular industry, with the goal of helping that industry thrive—so it can provide jobs or otherwise stimulate economic growth. There are different kinds of subsidies, but the word is usually associated with government payments. Such payments are sometimes called government subsidies. The U.S. government grants subsidies to many industries, including to fossil fuel companies and military and automobile manufacturers.

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What are some other forms related to subsidy?

subsidize (verb)
antisubsidy (noun)
nonsubsidy (noun)

What are some synonyms for subsidy?

What are some words that share a root or word element with subsidy?

What are some words that often get used in discussing subsidy?

What are some words subsidy may be commonly confused with?

How is subsidy used in real life?

Subsidy is most commonly associated with government payments to help certain industries.

NEW: To address losses caused by Trump trade war with China, $26 billion in farm subsidies were passed out, effectively emptying the subsidy bank. Now Congress has refilled it. w/ @SharonLNYT https://t.co/mE9E0oXKFj

— Eric Lipton (@EricLiptonNYT) March 28, 2020

#Coronavirus: The cost of taxpayer subsidies for jobs has topped £35bn, while the value of business loans underwritten by the govt has hit £45bn https://t.co/1LqyimoINm

— SkyNews (@SkyNews) July 7, 2020

https://twitter.com/jonatharden/status/1279811723759882241

Try using subsidy!

Is subsidy used correctly in the following sentence?

These subsidies may help billion-dollar corporations, but we should determine if they help everyday citizens.

How to use subsidy in a sentence

Overall, Amazon has received nearly $3 billion in subsidies from state and local governments.
Why are local governments paying Amazon to destroy Main Street?|jakemeth|August 23, 2020|Fortune
She imposed a company-wide 30 percent pay cut on about 120 workers in July even after receiving tax cuts and employment subsidies from the government designed to help companies survive the pandemic.
Haves and Have-Nots: Pandemic Recovery Explodes China’s Wealth Gap|Daniel Malloy|August 19, 2020|Ozy
It’s really about government subsidy and controlling the costs, which we’ve never done in this country.
We Don’t Have to Despair - Issue 88: Love & Sex|Robert Bazell|August 12, 2020|Nautilus
Sometimes, there is a co-pay, if the state subsidy doesn’t cover the full cost.
Public Schools May Be Open in the Fall – to Those Who Can Afford it|Will Huntsberry|August 5, 2020|Voice of San Diego

While there are wealthy condo owners excluded from the service and some low-income receive free collection, a law granting free trash to single-family homes is largely a subsidy for homeowners.
It’s Time to Revisit This Garbage City Policy|Joe Bettles, Marianna Garcia, Elise Hanson, Jack Christensen and Aurora Livingston|June 25, 2020|Voice of San Diego
This welfare spending discourages work, increases taxes, and operates as a hidden and inefficient subsidy to low-wage businesses.
To Make Their Victory Durable, the GOP Must Fix the Minimum Wage|Dmitri Mehlhorn|November 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Put another way, the subsidy gives the United States leverage over the decision-making of an important ally.
Some of Israel’s Top Defenders Say It’s Time to End U.S. Aid|Eli Lake|July 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
We must discover a means of subsidy by which music and parallel arts may thrive unapologetically.
Van Dyke Parks on How Songwriters Are Getting Screwed in the Digital Age|Van Dyke Parks|June 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Government ownership, operation, regulation, and subsidy of schools and colleges should be ended.
The Wingnut War On Common Core Is A Plot To Destroy Public Schools|Caitlin Dickson|May 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The costs could be passed on to customers in the form of higher premiums and to taxpayers in the form of higher subsidy expense.
Hold On to Your Health Care|Kaiser Health News|May 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
As Frederick refused to give any pledge as to the terms on which he would make peace, the British government refused the subsidy.
The Political History of England - Vol. X.|William Hunt
We maun get another subsidy frae the Commons, and that will make ae compting of it.
The Fortunes of Nigel|Sir Walter Scott
Yes,” said the envoy, “and the only one among then who demands no subsidy.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 56, Number 348|Various
You may call it a subsidy, or an imperial contribution; it is not a benefit, for the receiver cannot think of it without shame.
L. Annaeus Seneca On Benefits|Seneca
The history of the subsidy is instructive as to the tendencies of direct taxation in all countries.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 9, Slice 4|Various

British Dictionary definitions for subsidy

subsidy

/ (ˈsʌbsɪdɪ) /

noun plural -dies

a financial aid supplied by a government, as to industry, for reasons of public welfare, the balance of payments, etc

English history a financial grant made originally for special purposes by Parliament to the Crown

any monetary contribution, grant, or aid

Word Origin for subsidy

C14: from Anglo-Norman subsidie, from Latin subsidium assistance, from subsidēre to remain, from sub- down + sedēre to sit

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for subsidy

subsidy

A grant made by a government to some individual or business in order to maintain an acceptable standard of living or to stimulate economic growth.

subsidy

Origin of subsidy

synonym study for subsidy

OTHER WORDS FROM subsidy

Words nearby subsidy

MORE ABOUT SUBSIDY

What does subsidy mean?

Where does subsidy come from?

Did you know ... ?

How is subsidy used in real life?

Try using subsidy!

Words related to subsidy

How to use subsidy in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for subsidy

Word Origin for subsidy

Cultural definitions for subsidy