base pay

noun

: a rate or amount of pay for a standard work period, job, or position exclusive of additional payments or allowances

Examples of base pay in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Another resident, Chaz Lord, viewed the stipends as a reasonable offset for the low base pay. — CBS News, 12 Nov. 2026 New educators get $3,000 on top of their base pay, bringing their total take-home to $53,159. — Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 4 Nov. 2026 Seedman adds that impacted employees will receive 16 weeks of base pay and healthcare benefits into May 2027. — Emma Roth, The Verge, 2 Nov. 2026 Under the bill, garment workers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act could no longer receive piece-rate or per-unit base pay. — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 15 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for base pay

Word History

First Known Use

1862, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of base pay was in 1862

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Cite this Entry

“Base pay.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/base%20pay. Accessed 14 Nov. 2026.

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