ENGLISH
REFERENCE

stipend

n. countable
C1 Advanced US //ˈstaɪpənd// UK //stˈaɪpənd// stipend Archaic

n. a fixed amount of money paid regularly to someone, often to cover living costs while they study or do research. It is usually not a full salary for a job.

n. a regular fixed sum of money paid for services or to defray expenses. Often associated with academic fellowships, internships, or religious offices rather than standard hourly or salaried employment.


SIMPLE

The university provides a monthly stipend for graduate students.

CONTEXTUAL

As part of the internship program, the company offers a small stipend to help cover the cost of commuting and lunch.

COMPLEX

While the research fellowship does not offer a full professional salary, the provided stipend is sufficient to cover basic living expenses in most university towns.

Origin

The noun is derived from Late Middle English stipend, stipende (“salary, wage”) [and other forms], from Old French stipende, stipendie, from Latin stīpendium (“contribution; dues; impost, tax; tribute; military pay or stipend; military service”), from stipipendium, stippendium, from stips (“alms; contribution, donation, gift”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European steyp- (“erect; stiff”)) + pendere (the present active infinitive of pendō (“to cause to hang down or suspend; to weigh, weigh out; (hence) to pay”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European (s)pend- (“to pull; to spin; to stretch”)) + -ium (suffix forming abstract nouns). The verb is derived from the noun. Cognates * Italian stipendio * Portuguese estipêndio * Spanish estipendio

Usage

Often paired with the preposition 'for' to indicate the purpose or recipient.

Pitfall

He earns a high stipend at the law firm.He earns a high salary at the law firm.A stipend is a modest allowance for expenses or training; 'salary' is the correct term for professional employment pay.

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