payer

noun

pay·​er ˈpā-ər How to pronounce payer (audio)
variants or less commonly payor
: one that pays
especially : the person by whom a bill or note has been or should be paid
He is a prompt bill payer.

Examples of payer 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.
In fact, Medicaid is the nation’s largest payer of long-term care. Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 6 July 2025 Federal payers reimburse at lower rates, often below the cost of care, resulting in chronic financial losses. Steve Brozak, Forbes.com, 4 July 2025 Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz took part in a roundtable discussion with insurers in which the payers pledged commitments to six key reforms to the prior authorization process. Joseph Choi, The Hill, 23 June 2025 The commercial payers are reluctant to do increases. Alexis Kayser, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for payer

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of payer was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Payer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/payer. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.

Legal Definition

payer

variant of payor

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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