low-paying
|low-pay-ing|
🇺🇸
/loʊ ˈpeɪɪŋ/
🇬🇧
/ləʊ ˈpeɪɪŋ/
insufficient wage
Etymology
'low-paying' is a compound word formed from 'low' and 'paying'. 'Low' originates from Old Norse 'lág', meaning 'not high'. 'Paying' comes from the Latin 'pacare', meaning 'to appease or satisfy'.
'Low' and 'paying' were combined in modern English to describe jobs with insufficient wages.
Initially, 'low' meant 'not high', and 'paying' meant 'satisfying a debt'. Together, they evolved to describe jobs with insufficient wages.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
describing a job or position that offers a salary or wage that is below average or insufficient to meet basic living expenses.
She had to work two low-paying jobs to make ends meet.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/01/11 11:45