Synonyms income
income
wage/wages ▪ pay ▪ salary ▪ earnings
These are all words for money that a person earns or receives for their work.
income money that a person receives for their work, or from investments or business:
people on low incomes
wage/wages money that employees get for doing their job, usually paid every week or every month:
a weekly wage of £200
pay money that employees earn for doing their job:
The job offers good rates of pay.
salary money that employees earn for doing their job, usually paid every month.
wage, pay or salary?
Pay is the most general of these three words. In the past, employees who worked in factories, shops etc. got their wages each week, often paid in cash. These days they are more likely to be paid each month, directly into their bank account, but the term wage is still used for these kinds of jobs. Employees who work in offices or professional people such as teachers or doctors receive a salary that is paid each month, but is usually expressed as an annual figure.
earnings money that a person earns from their work:
a rise in average earnings for factory workers
Patterns
(a) high/low/basic income/wage/pay/salary/earnings
to earn an income/a wage/your pay/a salary
to be on a(n) income/wage/salary of…