minimum wage

noun

1

: living wage

2

: the lowest wage paid or permitted to be paid

specifically : a wage fixed by legal authority or by contract as the least that may be paid either to employed persons generally or to a particular category of employed persons

Examples of minimum wage in a Sentence

Congress will vote on a bill to raise the minimum wage.

Recent Examples on the Web

Strengthening labor laws, increasing the minimum wage and improving social safety nets like unemployment insurance are a few ways the government could step in to address lagging wage growth, Shierholz says. —Kamaron McNair, CNBC, 2 Mar. 2026

Tebboune has also promised an increase in the minimum wage from 20,000 to 24,000 dinars, an increase in retirement pensions of 5 to 10%, and an increase in unemployment benefits for university graduates, from 15,000 to 18,000 dinars. —ABC News, 1 Mar. 2026

Never mind that the minimum wage amendment was approved by more than 60% of voters. —Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 1 Mar. 2026

Maryland's minimum wage increased to $15 an hour on July 1, 2023. —Janay Reece, CBS News, 1 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1860, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for minimum wage

• alienage
• age
• gauge
• phage
• plage
• rage
• stage
• assuage
• backstage
• bocage
• downstage
• engage

Kids Definition

minimum wage

noun

: a wage fixed (as by law) as the least that may be paid to employed persons

Legal Definition

minimum wage

noun

: a wage fixed by contract or especially by law as the least that may be paid either to employees generally or to a particular category of employees compare scale