starvation wages

plural noun

: wages insufficient to provide the ordinary necessities of life

Word History

First Known Use

1825, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of starvation wages was in 1825

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Cite this Entry

“Starvation wages.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/starvation%20wages. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.

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