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

Walker-Yeager, who ran on abolishing or significantly reducing residents and seniors’ property tax burdens, historic preservation and increasing the state minimum wage, had 124 votes. — Sofi Zeman, Kansas City Star, 5 Aug. 2026

On Tuesday, supporters and opponents of a voter initiative to raise the minimum wage to $30 per hour held dueling rallies at the Alameda County Board of Supervisors. — John Ramos, CBS News, 5 Aug. 2026

California has a $20 minimum wage for workers at national fast-food chains. — Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 5 Aug. 2026

Kurtz, whose humor-forward campaign has more than a little in common with Pedigo’s approach, first announced his intent to run in March 2025 with a social media post promoting education and a minimum wage increase. — Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 4 Aug. 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