wage

1 of 2

noun

ˈwāj 

1

a

: a payment usually of money for labor or services usually according to contract and on an hourly, daily, or piecework basis

—often used in plural

b

wages plural : the share of the national product attributable to labor as a factor in production

2

: recompense, reward

—usually used in plural but singular or plural in construction

the wages of sin is death

—Romans 6:23 (Revised Standard Version)

wageless

ˈwāj-ləs 

adjective

wage

2 of 2

verb

waged; waging

transitive verb

: to engage in or carry on

wage war

wage a campaign

intransitive verb

: to be in process of occurring

the riot waged for several hours

—Amer. Guide Series: Md.

Synonyms

Noun

• emolument
• hire
• packet [British]
• pay
• paycheck
• pay envelope
• payment
• salary
• stipend

Examples of wage in a Sentence

Noun

Both of them make decent wages.

The table and chairs cost two weeks' wages.

The company offers competitive wages and good benefits.

The company gave workers a four percent wage increase this year.

Verb

They waged a guerrilla war against the government.

Local activists are waging a campaign to end homelessness in the region.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

No tax on tips, overtime Tipped employees like waiters and hairstylists would be able to claim a new tax deduction for tips through 2028, as could workers who are paid overtime wages. —Riley Beggin, USA Today, 23 May 2025

Freelancers can get paid for projects as soon as they’re completed, retail and hospitality workers can access their tips and wages immediately, and companies are exploring how to deliver bonuses or reimbursements in real time. —Carlos Netto, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025

Verb

For more than four decades, the Kurdish militant group known as the PKK waged an insurgency against the Turkish state that left some 40,000 people dead and reshaped the lives of millions. —Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 23 May 2025

No other president has waged war against the entire foundation of American science. —Dylan Matthews, Vox, 22 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, pledge, recompense, from Anglo-French wage, gage, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German wetti pledge — more at wed

Verb

Middle English, to offer surety, put up as a stake, hire, from Anglo-French *wager, gager, from wage

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Phrases Containing wage

• fair wage
• honest wage
• living wage
• minimum wage
• wage earner
• wage scale
• wage slave
• wage slavery

Rhymes for wage

• age
• gauge
• phage
• plage
• rage
• stage
• alienage
• assuage
• backstage
• bocage
• downstage
• engage

Kids Definition

wage

1 of 2 verb

ˈwāj 

waged; waging

1

: to engage in or carry on

wage war

wage a campaign

2

: to be in the process of occurring

the battle waged for hours

wage

2 of 2 noun

1

: a payment for work or services usually calculated on an hourly, daily, or piecework basis

—often used in plural

2

singular or plural : something given or received because of one's actions : reward

Legal Definition

wage

noun

1

: a payment usually of money for labor or services usually according to a contract and on an hourly, daily, or piecework basis

—often used in pl.

2

plural : the share of the national product attributable to labor as a factor in production