payroll

noun

pay·​roll ˈpā-ˌrōl 

1

: a paymaster's or employer's list of those entitled to pay and of the amounts due to each

2

: the sum necessary for distribution to those on a payroll

also : the money to be distributed

Examples of payroll in a Sentence

They cut him from their payroll.

He's the manager of a baseball team with a $50 million payroll.

Businesses are keeping their payrolls low by embracing new technologies.

Recent Examples on the Web

While job growth was lower than expected, the U.S. economy still created 142,000 payroll jobs in August, and the unemployment rate dropped to 4.2%. —Bill Stone, Forbes, 8 Sep. 2024

Its 142,000 net new jobs print was below the 160,000 forecast and downward revisions to prior months payrolls were downbeat. —Michael Santoli, CNBC, 7 Sep. 2024

Zoom in: Job gains were largely concentrated in two sectors—construction, which added 34,000 jobs, and health care, which gained a similar number of payrolls. —Courtenay Brown, Axios, 6 Sep. 2024

The loans were intended to be used for payroll or other business expenses, the documents say. —Kevin Grasha, The Enquirer, 5 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1740, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing payroll

• payroll deduction
• payroll tax

Kids Definition

payroll

noun

pay·​roll ˈpā-ˌrōl 

1

: a list of persons entitled to receive pay with the amounts due to each

2

: the amount of money necessary to pay those on a payroll