pension

[ pen-shuhn; French pahn-syawn ]

noun

, plural pen·sions [pen, -sh, uh, nz, pah, n, -, syawn].

1. a fixed amount, other than wages, paid at regular intervals to a person or to the person's surviving dependents in consideration of past services, age, merit, poverty, injury or loss sustained, etc.:

   a retirement pension.

2. an allowance, annuity, or subsidy.
3. (in France and elsewhere in continental Europe)
   1. a boardinghouse or small hotel.
   2. room and board.

verb (used with object)

1. to grant or pay a pension to.
2. to cause to retire on a pension (usually followed by off ).

pension

¹

/ pɑ̃sjɔ̃ /

noun

1. a relatively cheap boarding house
2. another name for full board

pension

²

/ ˈpɛnʃən /

noun

1. a regular payment made by the state to people over a certain age to enable them to subsist without having to work
2. a regular payment made by an employer to former employees after they retire
3. a regular payment made to a retired person as the result of his or her contributions to a personal pension scheme
4. any regular payment made on charitable grounds, by way of patronage, or in recognition of merit, service, etc

   a pension paid to a disabled soldier

verb

1. tr to grant a pension to

pension

1. Payments made to a retired person either by the government or by a former employer.

Derived Forms

• ˈpensionable, adjective
• ˈpensionless, adjective

Other Words From

• pension·a·ble adjective
• pension·a·bly adverb
• pension·less adjective
• non·pension·a·ble adjective
• un·pension·a·ble adjective
• un·pensioned adjective
• un·pension·ing adjective
• well-pensioned adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of pension¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English, from Old French pensïon, from Latin pēnsiōn-, stem of pēnsiō “measured weight,” hence, “payment, rent,” from pēns(us) “weighed” (past participle of pendere “to hang, weigh out, pay by weight”) + -iō -ion

Word History and Origins

Origin of pension¹

C17: French; extended meaning of pension grant; see pension ¹

Origin of pension²

C14: via Old French from Latin pēnsiō a payment, from pendere to pay

Example Sentences

It says this figure does not account for its ongoing drive to increase take-up of pension credit among an estimated 880,000 eligible pensioners not currently claiming the top-up.

From BBC

Earlier this year, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the £300 payment would be restricted to all but the poorest pensioners - those eligible for pension credit.

From BBC

The rules on this have changed, and 2024 payments will only go to those on low incomes who receive certain benefits, including pension credit.

From BBC

There’s a shortage of growth capital: By Wehmeier’s calculations, the continent has underfunded later-stage start-ups by about $375 billion over the past decade, partly because of a lack of pension fund investment in venture capital.

From New York Times

However, the state pension increase will be spread over the year from next April, whereas the winter fuel payment is usually paid in November or December.

From BBC

Related Words

• allowance
• annuity
• grant
• payment
• premium
• retirement account
• reward
• social security
• subsidy