emolument

[ ih-mol-yuh-muhnt ]

noun

1. profit, salary, or fees from office or employment; compensation for services:

   Tips are an emolument in addition to wages.

   Synonyms: honorarium, stipend, recompense, pay, earnings

emolument

/ ɪˈmɒljʊmənt /

noun

1. the profit arising from an office or employment, usually in the form of fees or wages

Word History and Origins

Origin of emolument¹

First recorded in 1470–80; from Latin ēmolumentum “advantage, benefit,” probably a derivative of ēmol(ere) “to grind out, produce by grinding” ( ē- “from, out of” + molere “to grind”) + -u-, variant before labials of -i- + -mentum noun suffix; e- ¹, mill ¹, -i-, -ment

Word History and Origins

Origin of emolument¹

C15: from Latin ēmolumentum benefit; originally, fee paid to a miller, from ēmolere, from molere to grind

Example Sentences

Trump didn’t detangle himself from his financial holdings in his first term in office, triggering years of emoluments violation investigations into the over 3,000 alleged conflicts of interest he accrued.

From Salon

The report alleges that Trump profited from foreign leaders and political appointees’ stays, a potential pay-to-play scheme, and an apparent emoluments violation.

From Salon

He can do whatever he wants in terms of bribery and corruption and foreign emoluments.

From Salon

Democrats on Tuesday introduced rival legislation that would enforce the Constitution’s ban on emoluments, which prohibits a president from accepting foreign gifts and money without the permission of Congress.

From Seattle Times

Article II, Section 1 and Article I, Section 9 of the Constitution prohibit the president in particular and public officials in general from receiving any emolument from domestic or foreign sources while in office.

From Salon