: pay TV utilizing a cable television system
often hyphenated when used attributively
a pay-cable network

Word History

First Known Use

1971, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pay cable was in 1971

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pay cable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pay%20cable. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.

Last Updated: - Definition revised
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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