premium

1 of 2

noun

pre·​mi·​um ˈprē-mē-əm How to pronounce premium (audio)
1
a
: a reward or recompense for a particular act
b
: a sum over and above a regular price paid chiefly as an inducement or incentive
c
: a sum in advance of or in addition to the nominal value of something
bonds callable at a premium of six percent
d
: something given free or at a reduced price with the purchase of a product or service
2
: the consideration paid for a contract of insurance
3
: a high value or a value in excess of that normally or usually expected
put a premium on accuracy

premium

2 of 2

adjective

: of exceptional quality or amount
also : higher-priced

Examples of premium in a Sentence

Noun Health insurance premiums went up again this year. The monthly premium for your health insurance is deducted from your paycheck. Many customers are willing to pay a premium for organic vegetables. Adjective lavish feasts at which premium wines flowed freely
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.
Noun
The company, a CJ ENM subsidiary, owns 266 global premium IPs comprising 4,127 episodes and currently produces approximately 25 titles annually for global distribution. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 23 May 2025 On Wednesday, when the U.S. Treasury prepared to sell $16 billion of 20-year bonds, investors demanded a much higher premium – over 5%, compared to the 4.6% that had been the norm in previous auctions. Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 23 May 2025
Adjective
It’s made in Portugal, and the linen itself is woven from premium flax sourced from Belgium and France. Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 24 May 2025 These premium packages lack ads and offer unlimited skips per hour. PC Magazine, 24 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for premium

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Latin praemium booty, profit, reward, from prae- + emere to take, buy — more at redeem

First Known Use

Noun

1601, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

1844, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of premium was in 1601

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Premium.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/premium. Accessed 28 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

premium

1 of 2 noun
pre·​mi·​um ˈprē-mē-əm How to pronounce premium (audio)
1
a
: a reward for an act
b
: a sum over and above a regular or stated price
c
: something given free or at a lower price with the purchase of a product or service
2
: the amount paid for a contract of insurance
3
: a high or extra value
put a premium on accuracy

premium

2 of 2 adjective
: of high quality, value, or price
Etymology

Noun

Latin praemium "booty, profit, reward," from prae- "before" + emere "to take, buy"

Legal Definition

premium

noun
pre·​mi·​um ˈprē-mē-əm How to pronounce premium (audio)
1
: the difference between the face value or par value of a security and its market price when the latter is greater compare discount
2
: the price paid for an insurance contract equal to the cost per unit times the number of units

More from Merriam-Webster on premium

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