payroll

noun pay·roll \ ˈpā-ˌrōl \

|Updated on: 11 Jun 2018

Examples: payroll in a Sentence

Definition of payroll

1 : a paymaster's or employer's list of those entitled to pay and of the amounts due to each

2 : the sum necessary for distribution to those on a payroll; also : the money to be distributed

See payroll defined for English-language learners

See payroll defined for kids

Examples of payroll in a Sentence

They cut him from their payroll.
He's the manager of a baseball team with a million payroll.
Businesses are keeping their payrolls low by embracing new technologies.

Recent Examples of payroll from the Web

Other costs — such as payroll and standardized test administration — are absorbed by the school district.

— talia richman, baltimoresun.com, "Baltimore school board considering six new charter schools," 4 June 2018
In addition, newspaper closure led to greater local government payroll and taxes per capita, suggesting greater government inefficiency and that alternative information sources couldn’t fill the accountability hole left by the closure.

— kevin lewis, BostonGlobe.com, "Judges vs. climate change," 1 June 2018
His son worked there, managing business operations, including payroll and personnel decisions, according to court records.

— Washington Post, "Father, son plead guilty to fraud involving secretive sect," 27 May 2018
His son worked there, managing business operations, including payroll and personnel decisions, according to court records.

— Fox News, "Father, son plead guilty to fraud involving secretive sect," 25 May 2018
One partner might handle equipment and inventory, the other payroll and finances.

— ligaya mishan, New York Times, "The Female Couples Remaking the Restaurant Industry," 16 May 2018
Other employees from payroll and accounting subsequently joined the suit, as did Kelly Wright, an on-air personality.

— joe flint, WSJ, "Fox News, 21st Century Fox Settle Discrimination Suits With 18 Ex-Employees," 15 May 2018
The Marlins are hopeful the 25th anniversary will help reconnect with fans who have been disenchanted by years of losing, low payrolls and controversial trades of popular players.

— craig davis, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Marlins 25th Anniversary Weekend series will feature 1993 ticket prices," 10 May 2018
The company now has in excess of 6,000 employees, and just meeting that payroll and keeping large facilities in California, Texas, Florida, and elsewhere operating probably costs on the order of $1 to $1.25 billion, experts told Ars.

— eric berger, Ars Technica, "Block 5 rocket launch marks the end of the beginning for SpaceX," 3 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'payroll.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of payroll

1740

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

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Financial Definition of PAYROLL

payroll

noun

What It Is

Payroll is the total of the compensation a company pays to its employees. In the accounting world, it is also a term used for calculating and processing paychecks (as in, "doing payroll").

How It Works

On the income statement, payroll expenses are part of labor costs. They include employee salaries, employer payments for health insurance or similar benefits, payroll taxes paid by the employer, bonuses, commissions and similar expenses.

Doing payroll is a complicated process that involves ensuring that every employee is paid correctly, calculating the appropriate payroll taxes (which can vary with the employee's salary, whether he or she has hit the Social Security cap for the year, etc.), and correctly deducting miscellaneous items (such as court-ordered child support, gym memberships or 401(k) contributions).

Why It Matters

Payroll is a major expense for most companies and is the primary component of labor cost. Labor costs vary by industry, and comparing companies in different industries should be done with this in mind.

In the accounting world, doing payroll is a crucial but often thankless job. The calculations must always be accurate, the paychecks must be printed on time, new and departing employees must be added to or deleted from various processes, and the taxes must be remitted to the proper authorities on time and in the correct amount. As soon as the process ends, it begins again. Many companies outsource some of the work.

Source: Investing Answers

PAYROLL Defined for English Language Learners

payroll

noun

Definition of payroll for English Language Learners

: a list of the people who work for a company and the amount of money that the company has agreed to pay them
: the total amount of money that a company pays to all of its employees