pension

pension — noun

1. a regular sum someone receives after leaving work, usually from the state or a f

1.nounB2
Definition

a regular sum someone receives after leaving work, usually from the state or a former employer, because of old age or illness

Example

After thirty years at the factory, Mr. Lin lives on a company pension.

phrase: live on a pension

Grace uses her teacher's pension to pay rent and buy fresh food.

Common collocations
  • receive a pension
  • draw a pension
  • live on a pension
  • state pension
  • company pension
Synonyms
  • retirement pay

    often used for money from a former employer, especially in official contexts

  • benefit

    broader word that can include many kinds of state support, not only after retirement

  • annuity

    a financial product that pays regular sums, often from a private plan

Antonyms
  • salary

    money paid for work you are doing now

  • wages

    pay for current work, especially hourly or weekly work

Usage Note

Common with verbs like receive, draw, and live on. Learners often meet it in phrases such as state pension, company pension, and pension fund.

Common Mistakes

My grandfather still gets a salary from the government.
My grandfather gets a pension from the government.
A salary is for current work; a pension is paid after work ends.

pension — verb

Word family

  • pensioner
    nounB2
  • pensionable
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

For noun sense 1, pension usually means regular money paid after someone stops working, often by the state or a former employer. Benefit is broader: it can mean many kinds of public support, so it does not always suggest old age or retirement. Allowance usually means money given for a particular purpose, often in smaller amounts. Annuity is more technical and often refers to a private financial arrangement that pays money regularly. Retirement pay is close to pension, but it sounds more official and is common in military or company contexts. A retired teacher may live on a pension, while an injured soldier may receive retirement pay.

benefit ↗allowance ↗annuity ↗retirement pay

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

English pension came through French from Latin pensio, a word for a payment. It goes back to a Latin verb meaning to pay or weigh out. The central idea has long been money that is paid out, and in modern English it usually refers to money received after work ends.