Pension

Pronunciation

• enPR: pÄ•n'shÉ™n, IPA: /ˈpenʃən/

Origin

Recorded since 1362 from Old French pension ("payment", "rent"), from Latin pensio ("payment", "rent"), from pensus, the past participle of pendere ("to weigh", "to pay")

Full definition of pension

Noun

1. A gratuity paid regularly as benefit due to a person in consideration of past services; notably to one retired from service, on account of retirement age, disability or similar cause; especially, a regular stipend paid by a government to retired public officers, disabled soldiers; sometimes passed on to the heirs, or even specifically for them, as to the families of soldiers killed in service.''Pensioners depend on their pension to pay the bills
2. A stated regular allowance by way of patronage or subsidy, e.g. to meritorious artists, or the like.
3. Accommodations or the payment for accommodations, especially at a boarding house or small hotel in Europe.
4. A boarding house or small hotel, as in continental Europe, which offers lodging and certain meals and services.A pension had somewhat less to offer than a hotel; it was always smaller, and never elegant; it sometimes offered breakfast, and sometimes not (John Irving).
5. (dated) A boarding school in France, Belgium, Switzerland, etc.
6. (archaic) A wage in active service

Synonyms

• (regularly paid gratuity) superannuation
• (boarding house) hotel, hostel , informal bed and breakfast
• (payment for accommodations) rent

Derived terms

Verb

1. To grant a pension
2. To force someone to retire on a pension.

Synonyms

• (to force to retire) pension off

Derived terms

• pensionable