subsidy

[ suhb-si-dee ]

/ ˈsʌb sɪ di /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR subsidy 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.

Nearby words

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

Origin of subsidy

1325–75; Middle English subsidie < Anglo-French < Latin subsidium auxiliary force, reserve, help, equivalent to sub- sub- + sid-, combining form of sedēre to sit¹ + -ium -ium

SYNONYMS 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.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR subsidy ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for subsidy

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
To be sure, Ryan offers Americans under 55 years old a subsidy to buy private health insurance and the “choice” of Medicare.
Even Republicans Don’t Like the Ryan Budget|Lloyd Green|April 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST

And so, if a late 20-something decides to work fewer hours, but play more Xbox One, and get an Obamacare subsidy why not?
Obamacare Is Wayne’s World|Lloyd Green|February 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They were to fly the American flag; that, too, should mean a subsidy.
The President|Alfred Henry Lewis
The destinies be most neat chamberlains to these swaggering puritans, knights of the subsidy.
A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 10 (of 15)|Various
He handed the driver a subsidy which caused the man to avow his willingness to wait till morning if necessary.
The Terms of Surrender|Louis Tracy
Imagine the joy in the presidio shortly thereafter when two subsidy payments arrived at one time!
The Building of Castello de San Marcos|Albert C. Manucy
As a sop to Cerberus, the King promised thenceforth to abide by the advice of his native nobility, and the subsidy was voted.
Earl Hubert's Daughter|Emily Sarah Holt

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

Culture 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.