See also: Incentive and incentivé

English

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Etymology

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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

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Noun

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incentive (plural incentives)

  1. 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; […].
  2. A bonus or reward, often monetary, to work harder.
    Management offered the sales team a $500 incentive for each car sold.

Antonyms

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Derived terms

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Descendants

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  • German: Incentive

Translations

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Adjective

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incentive (comparative more incentive, superlative most incentive)

  1. 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.
  2. Serving to kindle or set on fire.
    • 1667, John Milton, “Book VI”, in Paradise Lost. [], London: [] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker []; [a]nd by Robert Boulter []; [a]nd Matthias Walker, [], →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

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Anagrams

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Galician

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Verb

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incentive

  1. inflection of incentivar:
    1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive
    2. third-person singular imperative

Latin

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Adjective

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incentīve

  1. vocative masculine singular of incentīvus

Portuguese

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Verb

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incentive

  1. inflection of incentivar:
    1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive
    2. third-person singular imperative

Spanish

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Verb

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incentive

  1. inflection of incentivar:
    1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive
    2. third-person singular imperative