incentive
English edit
Etymology edit
From Medieval Latin incentīvus (“that strikes up or sets the tune”), from incinō (“to strike up”), from in- (“in, on”) + canō (“to sing”). The formation appears to have been influenced by incendō (“to set on fire”).
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
incentive (plural incentives)
- Something that motivates, rouses, or encourages.
- I have no incentive to do housework right now.
- 2013 June 7, David Simpson, “Fantasy of navigation”, in The Guardian Weekly[1], volume 188, number 26, page 36:
- It is tempting to speculate about the incentives or compulsions that might explain why anyone would take to the skies in [the] basket [of a balloon]: perhaps out of a desire to escape the gravity of this world or to get a preview of the next; […].
- A bonus or reward, often monetary, to work harder.
- Management offered the sales team a $500 incentive for each car sold.
Antonyms edit
Derived terms edit
Descendants edit
- → German: Incentive
Translations edit
something that motivates
cash bonus
|
Adjective edit
incentive (comparative more incentive, superlative most incentive)
- Inciting; encouraging or moving; rousing to action; stimulating.
- 1667, attributed to Richard Allestree, The Causes of the Decay of Christian Piety. […], London: […] R. Norton for T. Garthwait, […], →OCLC:
- Competency is of all other proportions the most incentive to industry.
- Serving to kindle or set on fire.
- 1667, John Milton, “Book VI”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
- Part incentive reed / Provide, pernicious with one touch of fire.
Further reading edit
- “incentive”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
- “incentive”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
Anagrams edit
Galician edit
Verb edit
incentive
- inflection of incentivar:
Latin edit
Adjective edit
incentīve
Portuguese edit
Verb edit
incentive
- inflection of incentivar:
Spanish edit
Verb edit
incentive
- inflection of incentivar: