incentive

[ in-sen-tiv ]
See synonyms for: incentiveincentives on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. something that incites or tends to incite to action or greater effort, as a reward offered for increased productivity.

adjective
  1. inciting, as to action; stimulating; provocative.

Origin of incentive

1
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Late Latin incentīvus “provocative,” in Latin: “setting the tune,” from incent(us) “played” (past participle of incinere “to play (an instrument, tunes),” from in- in-2 + -cinere, combining form of canere “to sing”) + -īvus -ive

synonym study For incentive

1. See motive.

Other words for incentive

Other words from incentive

  • in·cen·tive·ly, adverb
  • coun·ter·in·cen·tive, noun
  • non·in·cen·tive, adjective
  • pre·in·cen·tive, noun
  • su·per·in·cen·tive, noun, adjective

Words Nearby incentive

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use incentive in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for incentive

incentive

/ (ɪnˈsɛntɪv) /


noun
  1. a motivating influence; stimulus

    • an additional payment made to employees as a means of increasing production

    • (as modifier): an incentive scheme

adjective
  1. serving to incite to action

Origin of incentive

1
C15: from Late Latin incentīvus (adj), from Latin: striking up, setting the tune, from incinere to sing, from in- ² + canere to sing

Derived forms of incentive

  • incentively, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012