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Synonyms

minimum wage

1 American  

noun

  1. the lowest wage payable to employees in general or to designated employees as fixed by law or by union agreement.

minimum-wage 2 American  
[min-uh-muhm-weyj] / ˈmɪn ə məmˈweɪdʒ /

adjective

  1. of or relating to a minimum wage.

    minimum-wage demands.

  2. paid or earning a minimum wage.

    a minimum-wage worker.

  3. paying a minimum wage.

    a minimum-wage job.
minimum wage British  

noun

  1. the lowest wage that an employer is permitted to pay by law or union contract

"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
minimum wage Cultural  

  1. The lowest legal hourly wage.

Etymology

Origin of minimum wage

First recorded in 1855–60

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

At the same time, minimum wage has gone up and and there are upcoming increases in benefits for many lower-income billpayers.

From BBC

The Low Pay Commission, the government agency which recommended the increases, said previous minimum wage rises for over-21s had "not had a significant negative impact on jobs".

From BBC

It added that Labour had a "serious plan" to ease living costs for families, pointing to rises in the national minimum wage, pensions, and its plans to cut energy bills.

From BBC

This, as well as higher staffing costs through employer National Insurance contributions and minimum wage hikes, means companies will be under pressure to pass higher costs onto customers through higher prices.

From BBC

The monthly minimum wage currently equates to around 28 US cents, while annual price hikes surpass 600 percent.

From Barron's

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.