wage

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   The money a worker is paid for their work, usually by the hour or week.

   Before her promotion, her wages were 20% lower.

2. 2
   verb

   To carry on a war, battle, or campaign over a period of time.

   The dictator waged war against his neighbours.

Appears in

Simplified etymology

Wage is a Middle English word related to the Old French word behind gage, which meant a valued object deposited as a guarantee and, as a verb, “to give as a pledge.” Gage in turn is the root of engage and is also related to wedding.

From Middle English wage, from Anglo-Norman wage, from Old Northern French wage, a northern variant of Old French gauge, guage (whence modern French gage), Medieval Latin wadium, from Frankish *waddī (cognate with Old English wedd), from Proto-Germanic *wadją (“pledge”), from Proto-Indo-European *wedʰ- (“to pledge, redeem a pledge”). Akin to Old Norse veðja (“to pledge”), Gothic 𐍅𐌰𐌳𐌹 (wadi), Dutch wedde. Compare also the doublet gage. More at wed.

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External links

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• Cambridge Dictionary
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