Standard Lemma guide

paycheck

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation, US: /ˈpeɪ.t͡ʃɛk/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: P EY1 CH EH2 K Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A periodic payment, usually in the form of a paper check, received by an employee from an employer for work performed.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US

Examples

  • He was delighted after getting his first paycheck, but subsequently blew it all on the horses.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

a check issued in payment of wages or salary

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: payroll check

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: check, bank check, cheque

History

Etymology

From pay (“wages or salary”) + check (“a means of payment”).

Across languages

Translations

6 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: заплата (zaplata) — money received on payday as payment for work performed
  • Bulgarian: надница (nadnica) — money received on payday as payment for work performed
  • Polish: wypłata — money received on payday as payment for work performed
  • Russian: зарпла́та (zarpláta) — money received on payday as payment for work performed
  • Spanish: cheque de pago — money received on payday as payment for work performed
  • Spanish: cheque salarial — money received on payday as payment for work performed