Meaning & Definition of word "Payroll"

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    Payroll

    /ˈpeɪˌroʊl/

    noun:

    • 1. The list of a company's employees and the amounts of money they are to be paid.
      • Example: The payroll for this month has already been processed and distributed.
    • 2. The total amount of money that a company pays to its employees for a given period.
      • Example: Due to the increase in staff, our payroll expenses have risen significantly.
    • 3. The administrative process of paying employees.
      • Example: The company outsourced its payroll to improve efficiency and accuracy.

    Etymology

    The term 'payroll' originated in the early 20th century, combining 'pay' and 'roll', referring to a roll or list of employees that received pay.

    Common Phrases and Expressions

    on the payroll:

    To be officially employed and receiving salary from a company.

    payroll taxes:

    Taxes withheld from employee wages by the employer.

    payroll department:

    The division of a company responsible for processing employee payments.

    Related Words

    wages:

    Payments made to employees for their work, typically on an hourly or daily basis.

    salaries:

    Fixed regular payments made to employees, typically expressed on an annual basis.

    compensation:

    The total monetary remuneration or payment given to employees for their work.

    Slang Meanings of payroll

    Meaning: getting paid

    Example Sentence: I'm just waiting for payroll to come in so I can pay my bills.

    Meaning: the money flow from work

    Example Sentence: Once you hit payroll this week, you'll be in the green again.