income

[in-kuhm]

noun

1. revenue received for goods or services, or from other sources, as rents or investments.

   For years, her only source of income was the small number of stocks her father left her.

2. the money, or amount of money, received from one’s employment.

   a household with three incomes;

   a healthcare worker with an income that hasn’t increased in five years.

   Synonyms: earnings, wages, salary, return, gains, annuity, interest
   Antonyms: expenditure, outgo

3. something that comes in as an addition or increase, especially by chance.

4. Archaic.,  a coming in.

income

/ ˈɪnkəm, ˈɪnkʌm /

noun

1. the amount of monetary or other returns, either earned or unearned, accruing over a given period of time

2. receipts; revenue

3. rare,  an inflow or influx

income

1. The amount of money received during a period of time in exchange for labor or services, from the sale of goods or property, or as a profit from financial investments.

Other Word Forms

• incomeless adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of income¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English: literally, “that which has come in,” noun use of incomen (past participle of incomen “to come in”), Old English incuman; in, come

Word History and Origins

Origin of income¹

C13 (in the sense: arrival, entrance): from Old English incumen a coming in

Example Sentences

Many residents are lower income, according to Campbell.

From Los Angeles Times

The Reform UK manifesto published ahead of last year's general election made commitments to slash income tax in particular, as well as large spending pledges on defence.

From BBC

"However, softer earnings growth, higher inflation, tighter fiscal policy, and the lagged impact of past interest rate rises for some mortgagors point to much weaker real income growth moving forward."

From BBC

The number is determined based on a percentage of projected income for the upcoming year.

From Los Angeles Times

It also raised questions about the Holness's integrity, citing a report which had questioned his income and assets declaration.

From BBC

Related Words

• cash 
• compensation 
• earnings 
• interest 
• livelihood 
• pay 
• proceeds 
• profit 
• revenue 
• royalty 
• salary 
• wage