Word
pittance
Phoneticspit·tance, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈpɪtəns/
UK/pˈɪtəns/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a very small amount of money, especially pay that is too low to live on. You use it when someone is paid unfairly little for their work.
n. a very small or inadequate amount of money, especially wages considered unfairly low. Often contrasts the amount received with the work done or need involved.
Examples
“She earns a pittance for long hours of work.”
“The retired cleaner lives on a pittance from her pension and takes extra shifts to pay rent.”
“What the estate offered as compensation was a mere pittance compared to decades of loyal service, a sum that barely covered a month's expenses.”
Examples
simple
“She earns a pittance for long hours of work.”
contextual
“The retired cleaner lives on a pittance from her pension and takes extra shifts to pay rent.”
complex
“What the estate offered as compensation was a mere pittance compared to decades of loyal service, a sum that barely covered a month's expenses.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “pittance” in context.
Verb
01. earn pittance
“Many interns earn a pittance while working long hours in the capital.”
verb + noun
02. live on pittance
“After the cuts, the family had to live on a pittance of £50 a week.”
verb + prep + noun
03. offer pittance
“The gallery offered the young artist a pittance for her paintings.”
verb + noun
04. pay pittance
“The company was criticised for paying a pittance to overseas workers.”
verb + noun
Adjective
05. meagre pittance
“Retired teachers survive on a meagre pittance from the state pension.”
adj + noun
06. mere pittance
“Factory workers earned a mere pittance that barely covered their rent.”
adj + noun
07. miserable pittance
“The cleaners were paid a miserable pittance for working night shifts.”
adj + noun
Noun
08. pittance for work
“She was given a pittance for work that took weeks to complete.”
noun + prep + noun
09. a pitiful pittance in wages
“Workers received a pitiful pittance in wages for twelve-hour shifts.”
10. earn a relative pittance
“Nurses earn a relative pittance compared to other professionals.”
11. live on a mere pittance
“She lives on a mere pittance after her benefits were reduced.”
12. pay a mere pittance
“The firm pays a mere pittance to its part-time cleaners.”
Real-World Examples
“He failed to win the prize, sold his lithography patent for a pittance, and left for Vienna.” Etymology
From Middle English pitaunce, from Old French pitance, pitence, from Medieval Latin *pietāntia, from Latin pietās (“piety”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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