paycheck

paycheck — noun

1. money you receive for doing your job, often each week or month

1.nounB1
Definition

money you receive for doing your job, often each week or month

Example

After rent and food, Evan's paycheck was gone by Tuesday.

paycheck used for spendable income

Nora smiled when her first paycheck reached the bank account.

first paycheck

Common collocations
  • weekly paycheck
  • big paycheck
  • last paycheck
  • stretch a paycheck
  • live from paycheck to paycheck
Synonyms
  • pay

    a broad everyday word for money you get for work

  • salary

    usually a fixed amount paid regularly, often discussed as a yearly figure

  • wages

    often used for hourly or weekly pay, especially for manual work

  • earnings

    a broader term that can include money from several kinds of work

Grammar Patterns

get a paycheck

bring home a paycheck

live on a paycheck

Usage Note

Often used for one payment at a time, especially when talking about bills, saving, or how long the money lasts. Distinguish from sense 2, which is the paper item itself.

Common Mistakes

Her paycheck is $48,000 a year.
Her salary is $48,000 a year.
paycheck usually means one payment, not the total yearly amount.

2. a paper check or pay form that shows and delivers your wages

2.nounB2
Definition

a paper check or pay form that shows and delivers your wages

Example

Ava picked up her paycheck from the office at noon.

pick up a paycheck

The wet paycheck stuck to Ben's jacket in the rain.

Common collocations
  • paper paycheck
  • pick up a paycheck
  • cash a paycheck
  • deposit a paycheck
  • lose a paycheck
Synonyms
  • check

    a general word for a paper payment form, not only wages

  • salary check

    more specific to salaried work

  • wage check

    more specific to wages paid for work

Grammar Patterns

pick up a paycheck

cash a paycheck

deposit a paycheck

Usage Note

Usually something physical that you can pick up, hold, cash, or deposit. Distinguish from sense 1, which focuses on the money rather than the document.

Common Mistakes

My paycheck went straight into my bank account.
My pay went straight into my bank account.
use this sense for a physical check or payment form, not only the money itself.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

For sense 1, paycheck usually points to one payment from a job, so it often appears in everyday situations about rent, food, and the next pay day. Pay is broader and can mean the general money someone gets for work, not only one payment. Salary often suggests a fixed amount paid regularly and is commonly discussed as a yearly figure. Wages is especially common for hourly or weekly work. Income is widest of all, because it can include money from work, business, or investments. You can say, 'Her paycheck covered the gas bill,' but 'Her salary is NT$900,000 a year,' and 'Their income comes from two jobs and a shop.'

paycheck ↗pay ↗salary ↗wagesincome ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • weekly paycheck
  • monthly paycheck
  • first paycheck

Phrases

  • get a paycheck
  • receive a paycheck

Etymology

English

Paycheck is an American English compound made from pay and check. It first referred to the written check a worker received from an employer, and later also came to mean the money from that payment itself.