salary

[ sal-uh-ree ]

noun

, plural sal·a·ries.

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 Words From

• sala·ry·less 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

"Then we will definitely start a conversation about his salary."

From BBC

Mr Sundar said firms also hire young, unskilled workers, especially from rural areas, by attracting them with a good starting salary.

From BBC

"Bread is a symbol of freedom, earning a salary and supporting the family," Sahra says.

From BBC

He also reiterated that he would not accept a second parliamentary salary.

From BBC

For more than a decade, traffickers brought men and women from Romania to the Hungarian capital, promising them relatively high salaries and good housing.

From BBC

Related Words

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

More About Salary

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?

Where does salary come from?

The first records of the term salary come from the 1300s. It ultimately comes from the Latin salārium meaning “money given to soldiers to buy salt” or “salt money.” In Latin, sāl means “salt.” In ancient Rome, the value of salt sometimes vastly exceeded the value of currency or was used as a suitable replacement for it. Sāl is still used to mean “salt” to, mainly in pharmacology. 

Salaries receive a lot of criticism. A salary is calculated based on the number of hours you would work each week, but most times you don’t need to prove you worked those hours. If no one notices that you come in late and leave early, you’ll be paid for hours you didn’t work. That could be considered stealing from the company if it happens frequently.

Equally, if you work more hours each week than your salary covers, you’ll be working for free. Salaried employees don’t usually mind working a couple extra hours once in a while in order to complete their work. When it happens frequently, however, that, too, might be considered stealing, especially if your boss doesn’t let you choose not to work. The company could be said to be stealing work from you.

Did you know … ?

What are some other forms related to salary?

• salaryless (adjective)
• salaried (verb, adjective)
• undersalaried (verb)

What are some synonyms for salary?

• earnings
• fee
• income
• pay

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

• salary cap
• salariate
• salt

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

• annual
• hourly
• money
• weekly

What are some words salary may be commonly confused with?

• celery
• stipend

How is salary used in real life?

A salary is a common way to pay an employee who works a profession that does not include manual labor or wearing a uniform.

Your hustle determines your salary

— Yung Rénzél 👑 (@RickRoss) September 12, 2017

Since vine is no longer I'm trying to figure out how I can pay Josh Kennedy a salary to send me funny videos of himself every day.

— h (@halsey) November 4, 2016

Dear Detroit,
Sorry about taking Kennard over Mitchell, overpaying Reggie Jackson, taking Stanley Johnson over getting four 1sts from Boston, ruining your salary cap with the Blake trade, and leaving you without a 2018 1st. I’m gonna go do TV, I’ll see you later.
—Thanks, SVG

— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) May 7, 2018

 

Try using salary!

Is salary used correctly in the following sentence?

I’m so excited that the salary at my new job will mean I can buy a new car!