: a service providing noncommercial television programming (such as recent movies and entertainment specials) by means of a scrambled signal to subscribers who are provided with a decoder

called also pay television

compare pay-cable, subscription tv

Examples of pay-TV 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.
Under the extended deal, Starz receives exclusive first pay-TV and SVOD window rights to the studio’s films. Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025 In a major shakeup of the European television market, German broadcast giant RTL Group has signed a deal to acquire pay-TV group Sky Deutschland from Comcast. Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 27 June 2025 Media companies are increasingly offering the same live sports featured on pay-TV networks on their counterpart streaming alternatives — most notably with the launch of Disney’s flagship ESPN app later this year. Lillian Rizzo, CNBC, 25 June 2025 The service also launched exclusively through pay-TV provider Foxtel, giving it immediate access to Foxtel’s subscriber base while also being available directly to consumers. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 25 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for pay-TV

Word History

First Known Use

1954, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pay-TV was in 1954

Cite this Entry

“Pay-TV.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pay-TV. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.

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