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Definition of perquisite - 4 dictionary results
per⋅qui⋅site
[pur-kwuh-zit] 
–noun
| 1. | an incidental payment, benefit, privilege, or advantage over and above regular income, salary, or wages: Among the president's perquisites were free use of a company car and paid membership in a country club. |
| 2. | a gratuity or tip. |
| 3. | something demanded or due as a particular privilege: homage that was once the perquisite of royalty. |
Origin:
1400–50; late ME < ML perquīsītum something acquired, n. use of neut. of L perquīsītus (ptp. of perquīrere to search everywhere for, inquire diligently). See per-, inquisitive
1400–50; late ME < ML perquīsītum something acquired, n. use of neut. of L perquīsītus (ptp. of perquīrere to search everywhere for, inquire diligently). See per-, inquisitive
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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|
Link To perquisite
| per·qui·site (pûr'kwĭ-zĭt) n.
[From Middle English perquisites, property acquired otherwise than by inheritance, from Medieval Latin perquīsītum, acquisition, from Latin, neuter past participle of perquīrere, to search diligently for : per-, per- + quaerere, to seek.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Perquisite
Per"qui*site\, n. [L. perquisitum, fr. perquisitus, p. p. of perquirere to ask for diligently; per + quaerere to seek. See Per-, and Quest.]1. Something gained from a place or employment over and above the ordinary salary or fixed wages for services rendered; especially, a fee allowed by law to an officer for a specific service. The pillage of a place taken by storm was regarded as the perquisite of the soldiers. --Prescott. The best perquisites of a place are the advantages it gaves a man of doing good. --Addison. 2. pl. (Law) Things gotten by a man's own industry, or purchased with his own money, as opposed to things which come to him by descent. --Mozley & W.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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perquisite
1450, "property acquired other than by inheritance," from M.L. perquisitum "thing gained, profit," in L., "thing sought after," from neut. pp. of perquirere "to seek, ask for," from per- "thoroughly" + quærere "to seek" (see query). General meaning "fee or profit on top of regular wages" first recorded 1565.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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