pension

[pen-shuhn, pahn-syawn]

noun

plural

pensions 

1. a fixed amount, other than wages, paid at regular intervals to a person or to the person's surviving dependents in consideration of past services, age, merit, poverty, injury or loss sustained, etc..

   a retirement pension.

2. an allowance, annuity, or subsidy.

3. (in France and elsewhere in continental Europe)

   1. a boardinghouse or small hotel.

   2. room and board.

verb (used with object)

1. to grant or pay a pension to.

2. to cause to retire on a pension (usually followed byoff ).

pension

¹

/ ˈpɛnʃən /

noun

1. a regular payment made by the state to people over a certain age to enable them to subsist without having to work

2. a regular payment made by an employer to former employees after they retire

3. a regular payment made to a retired person as the result of his or her contributions to a personal pension scheme

4. any regular payment made on charitable grounds, by way of patronage, or in recognition of merit, service, etc

   a pension paid to a disabled soldier

verb

1. (tr) to grant a pension to

pension

²

/ pɑ̃sjɔ̃ /

noun

1. a relatively cheap boarding house

2. another name for full board

pension

1. Payments made to a retired person either by the government or by a former employer.

Other Word Forms

• pensionable adjective
• pensionless adjective
• pensionably adverb
• nonpensionable adjective
• unpensionable adjective
• unpensioned adjective
• unpensioning adjective
• well-pensioned adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of pension¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English, from Old French pensïon, from Latin pēnsiōn-, stem of pēnsiō “measured weight,” hence, “payment, rent,” from pēns(us) “weighed” (past participle of pendere “to hang, weigh out, pay by weight”) + -iō -ion

Word History and Origins

Origin of pension¹

C14: via Old French from Latin pēnsiō a payment, from pendere to pay

Origin of pension²

C17: French; extended meaning of pension grant; see _pension ¹

Example Sentences

She also savaged some of the Budget speculation over tax rises on property, banks and pensions as not just "wrong" but "irresponsible".

From BBC

In recent days long-term borrowing costs across the world have increased, amid concerns about political uncertainty, levels of debt, and a structural shift in pension funds away from such bonds.

From BBC

Pensions UK, which represents the country's pension funds, has questioned the likelihood of such significant savings being made.

From BBC

The 30-year gilt is important in sectors requiring long-term returns: pensions and insurance.

From BBC

They are employed as freelancers and as a result they get none of the possible benefits - such as a pension and health coverage - which may be available to regular employees.

From BBC

Related Words

• allowance 
• annuity 
• grant 
• payment 
• premium 
• retirement account www.thesaurus.com
• reward 
• social security 
• subsidy