per diem

1 of 3

adverb

per di·​em (ˌ)pər-ˈdē-əm  -ˈdī- 

: by the day : for each day

per diem

2 of 3

adjective

1

: based on use or service by the day : daily

2

: paid by the day

per diem

3 of 3

noun

plural per diems

1

: a daily allowance

2

: a daily fee

Examples of per diem in a Sentence

Adverb

Employees will be given $20 per diem for expenses.

Noun

He received a $30 per diem for food.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adverb

Part of that is the $247 per diem lawmakers received for meals and other expenses. — Sophia Eppley, AJC.com, 26 June 2026

Lee was working as a per diem temporary deputy sheriff assigned to the office's property services unit which manages property and evidence collected by deputies and investigators. — Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 17 June 2026

Adjective

Additionally, in an effort to cut government spending during the Great Depression, the Herbert Hoover administration cut Prohibition agents’ per diem pay from US$6 to $5. — Richard F. Hamm, The Conversation, 20 Feb. 2026

The Assembly speaker is the only lawmaker who receives more than the $60,924 salary each member earns, plus per diem expenses. — Hope Karnopp, jsonline.com, 19 Feb. 2026

Noun

Under the collective bargaining agreement, first-year players receive a $2,000 weekly per diem during training camp and the preseason. — Jason Lloyd, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026

To purchase even a single international ticket, the NGO may need to satisfy donor rules, Fly America Act requirements, Open Skies agreements, per diem constraints and so on. — Egor Karpovich, Forbes.com, 26 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adverb

Medieval Latin

First Known Use

Adverb

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1765, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1812, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for per diem

• abeam
• airstream
• bloodstream
• daydream
• downstream
• esteem
• extreme
• grapheme
• hakim
• hornbeam
• lexeme
• mainstream

Kids Definition

per diem

adverb

per di·​em

(ˌ)pər-dē-əm, 

-ˈdī-

: by the day : for each day

per diem adjective

Medical Definition

Perdiem

trademark

Per·​di·​em pər-ˈdē-ˌem, -əm 

—used for a laxative preparation of psyllium seed husks and senna

Legal Definition

per diem

1 of 3 adverb

per di·​em pər-ˈdē-əm, -ˈdī- 

: by the day : for each day

paid per diem

per diem

2 of 3 adjective

1

: based on use or service by the day

per diem compensation

2

: paid or calculated by the day

per diem interest

per diem

3 of 3 noun

1

: a daily allowance

received a per diem for expenses

2

: a daily fee

paid a per diem for maintenance of the equipment

Etymology

Adverb

Latin