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.
She was followed by San Diego Unified’s Fabiola Bagula, with $346,806 in base pay. Jemma Stephenson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 May 2026 The president's contract currently includes a base pay of $1,029,210 along with an unvested employer award of $200,000 per year and expires in 2029. Paula Wethington, CBS News, 18 May 2026 Al Drago | Getty Images United Airlines flight attendants approved a new five-year labor contract with 31% average raises to base pay by August and other improvements, marking the last of the major carriers with unionized flight crews to reach a deal post-Covid. Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 12 May 2026 Howe’s original contract, signed in 2021, included a base pay of $650,000 per year. Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 6 May 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Base pay.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/base%20pay. Accessed 31 May. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster